His Sorrow Cast a Shade
by Strawberry Nightmare
Summary: In 1926, as the Obscurial wreaks havoc on New York City and threatens to cause a war between No-Majs and the Wizarding world, Auror Laura Maurette is noticing slight changes in her boss, Director Percival Graves. As Newt Scamander enters the city, Laura thinks back to her own arrival in New York from London in 1923.
1. Omen (The Ghoulish Malady)

**Chapter 1: Omen (The Ghoulish Malady)**

 _December 1926_

Winter had finally arrived in New York. She hated winter in the city. It always left her depressed. The young woman found it was just too different from winter back home in London. A less observant person might not see the differences, but she did. She _was_ a trained investigator, after all. She always noticed the little things.

And so, standing before the rather plain desk of the Director of Magical Security, Laura Maurette was noticing little things that just weren't quite right. Director Graves was hard at work, combing through a file, actively ignoring the woman standing before him. She knew something was amiss. The man was…different.

Percival Graves had always been a little bit different, but you had to be to do his job. He was confident, but off putting to most. Abrasive at times, but the abrasiveness came from a place of wanting to get things done right and without emotional attachment. Even those whom he had worked with for years were afraid of him on some level. It wasn't necessarily the bad kind of fear. Surprisingly, she had learned over the past couple of years that there was a good kind of fear, usually. People just didn't want to disappoint him.

 _She_ didn't want to disappoint _him_.

But lately, he was too different.

"Director?" she pressed.

Graves sighed, the crisp white collar and black tie at his neck rising and falling with the movement of his pale throat. She liked watching his throat. He was just enough taller than her that her eyes were often at the height of his throat, so she watched it often. He wore a double scorpion pin at his collar that glowed green. It was her favorite shade of green.

Looking up at the woman standing before his desk, Graves face was full of mild contempt. Laura was bothering him. This was usually the face he had when dealing with Tina Goldstein. Well meaning, but she was often tripping over herself. Laura liked the woman though. Her demotion was…unexpected.

"What is it, exactly, that you want, Miss Maurette?" he asked in a low and threatening voice. He only used that tone when he was upset. He might always be abrasive, but being upset was something else. Recently, it seemed he was always upset with someone in the office.

She stared down at him. Bushy eyebrows. Hard brown eyes. The barest touch of wrinkles. The white hair on the sides of his head had grown whiter over the years since she first met him. He had shaved it down a bit more than in the past. It made him look distinguished. Handsome.

She felt a pull at her heart and shook it off.

"I just wanted to check if you wanted me to do anything about _it_ , Mister Graves," she said in a quiet voice.

He frowned. "If I had, I would have told you. Go back to work," he ordered, almost unsure of what she meant.

With one last suspicious look at her boss, she turned and left his office, the door slamming shut behind her. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding in.

What was going on with Graves?

The rest of the day dragged on. With her desk near the front of the room, she often kept an eye on the hallway leading to her boss' office. He didn't come their way once. It wasn't unusual, but now everything seemed suspicious to her.

She stayed late, as she almost always did. Single and without even a cat to welcome her at home, Laura had no reason to rush home each day. Tina stopped by the office to remind her to eat as she left with her sister for the night. Laura nodded absentmindedly. With Gellert Grindelwald and his fanatics out there, there wasn't much time for eating.

Chasing dark wizards wasn't easy. Wizards had magic. Using magic to hide was too easy. Sometimes, she wished she were a muggle.

Slowly rereading a file on a case that occurred out in Albany the past week, Laura heard heavy footsteps coming down the empty hall. She peered up from her work in time to see Director Graves heading into the open Auror office, an annoyed expression covering his face. His scarf and winter coat were draped over his left arm, while his right hand fiddled with something in the pocket on his vest, his suit jacket pushed out of the way.

"Go home, Miss Maurette," he barked.

She jumped, moving her eyes away from his hands and up to his face. Laura watched him as she leaned her elbow on the desk and put her head in her hand. "I will."

" _Now_."

She frowned. Graves could never be classified as nice, but this was over the top, even for him.

"I want to finish-"

"I want you to go home. Or have you forgotten who is in charge?" he snapped, striding up to her desk menacingly. His eyes bore down at her, not quite glaring, but burning holes into her skin.

Laura sat up, her frown deepened. She almost blushed from being chastised.

 _Almost_.

She looked down at her desk and began closing up her files, fighting back a snide comment. Different or no, he was still her boss.

"I'm sorry, did you think we were friends?" he asked in a low tone. "Should I have been nicer about it?" he mocked her.

Laura's head snapped up, her eyes narrowed in confusion at the man standing in front of her. _Friends_.

"No," she answered. Laura pushed herself up from her desk and grabbed her coat from the back of her chair, keeping her eyes on Graves the whole time. "I know what we are, Director."

"And _what_ is that?" he pushed.

She paused a beat as she slipped on her wool coat.

"Colleagues."

He snorted in derision. "I am your _better_ ," he drawled in a low, silky tone.

Like a punch to the gut, Laura bit her tongue. This was _not_ Percival Graves. After everything they had been through, he would never speak to her or any of his Aurors like this, regardless of how bad they might have fucked up.

He didn't think himself their betters, he just thought himself their boss. There was a difference.

It reminded her of her family.

She almost wanted to cry.

 _Almost_.

"So you keep reminding me," she finally choked out. Her eyes darted away from the Director, unable to stare at him any longer. She strode past him purposely and quickly, heading for the stairs. Be damned if she would share an elevator with _him_.

She thought, as she heard his footsteps follow behind, that she heard him laugh. A low chuckle that didn't sound much like Graves' laugh. But she didn't stop to check. Laura rushed down the stairs, her own footsteps loud in the vaguely quiet building.

Pushing her way through the front door, Laura let out a sob as the cold air hit her bare face.

What in Merlin's beard was going on with Graves?

And what in the hell could she do about it?


	2. Deconstruct

**Chapter 2- Deconstruct**

 _June 1923_

Summer in New York City. It reminded her of summer in London, except somehow better. Maybe because it was new to her. Maybe, in a few years, it would feel like a London summer to her.

Or maybe it wouldn't.

Laura had arrived in New York City a week ago with just one heavy trunk to her name. It was full with all of her precious belongings, which just so happened to include just about everything she needed to furnish a home, including hundreds of books.

Finding a flat hadn't been easy, but with the money she had saved up over the years, she was able to find a decent one where she didn't need a roommate. It wasn't that Laura hated people, it was just that…well, she liked her privacy.

Today was to be her second day at MACUSA.

She hated the name.

Ministry of Magic was so simple. MACUSA sounded so angry. Then again, one could argue the Americans had quite a lot to be angry about. The Salem Witch Trials were so notorious, even the British wizards had grown up hearing about it.

The MACUSA headquarters was quite lovely, Laura had to admit. Having previously worked at the Ministry of Magic, she had grown accustomed to the old feel of the office. MACUSA was nicer in some aspects. It still felt like an office, but a friendlier one. She wondered if it was simply the British way.

Laura was an Auror. It certainly wasn't in her blood, but she had excelled at Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions while at Hogwarts. Nobody expected her to apply to the Auror program, but she did. And she excelled. Laura wanted her own life, not the life her parents expected for her. And certainly not the life that was expected of her because of her family.

The US would be her new start. Nobody here knew her. The interview with the Director Magical Security, Percival Graves, had been interesting. He was cold, calculating, and seemingly unimpressed by her resume.

After graduating from Hogwarts in 1917, Laura immediately applied to the Aurors program at the Ministry of Magic. The Head of the Aurors Office, Claudius Ridge, was doubled over by her grades and the recommendations she received from professors at Hogwarts. Laura did very well in her testing and after three years, officially became an Auror. But three years later, she was tired of England. Tired of the looks, tired of the whispers. No matter what she did, she couldn't shake her name.

So she came to America. Despite coming with a letter of recommendation from the Minister for Magic himself, Director Graves didn't appear interested or impressed. He scrutinized her greatly for months before accepting her application (though Laura had heard through the grapevine that the President of MACUSA, Seraphina Picquery had forced him to).

Now she was here. An American Auror. She was homesick already, but knew she had to push on.

There was no going back.

Her desk was near the back of the large Auror office. Open space, like the one at the Ministry of Magic, but instead of open cubicles, they just had desks. It was the go-to desk setup in the 1920s, Laura had noticed. It was nice in the sense that she could see everyone, but again, she liked her privacy.

Auror work in the US was a little quieter than in Europe. Gellert Grindelwald was running around Europe with his followers, causing devastation wherever he went, but they had largely stayed away from the US. That wasn't to say he had no followers in the US, but they were quieter. Dark wizards were always out there, always causing problems, but Laura hoped it would be a little easier in the US as compared to Great Britain.

Being an Auror wasn't all fun and games. There was more paperwork associated than one would think. In her three years as an official Auror, Laura reckoned she had spent at least 1 ½ years reading files and doing paperwork. Another 6 months was just stakeouts alone and 6 months of interrogating. Going after the dark wizards and catching them probably only accounted for a few months.

It was a dirty job and every year several Aurors were killed on the job.

"Good morning, Maurette," Tina Goldstein greeted Laura as the younger woman headed towards her own desk, past Laura's.

"Good morning, Goldstein," Laura replied with a smile.

Tina had short dark brown hair and dark brown inquisitive eyes. She was always watching, Laura had noticed on her first day. Tina was just two years younger than Laura, but they seemed a world apart in some ways.

"Busy day ahead, I hear," Tina said.

"Grindelwald making trouble overnight?" Laura asked, turning in her chair to look back at Tina as she set up at her desk a row back.

"That's what the papers say. Don't you got a subscription?" she asked.

Laura shook her head. "Not yet."

"Well, what have you done this whole week?"

She shrugged. "Put away my books, mostly. I have a lot of books," she said quietly. "I went to Central Park. Looked around a little."

Tina smiled softly. "Queenie, my sister, she can help get you a subscription easy. Don't worry about it."

Laura smiled appreciatively at the younger woman and turned back around in her chair. She hadn't had many friends in London, so her heart swelled at the hope of making friends here in the States.

She turned back around just in time as Director Graves walked into the room. Not an overly tall man (her partner at the Ministry of Magic was a whole 6'4"!), his steely look and composure made him menacing. Laura wasn't afraid of him, yet, but, looking around, she could see most of the other Auror's were. There was an air of deference to their boss, but still slight fear from many of them. Slightly graying on the sides of his head, Graves looked distinguished. He looked like he should be the head of a department. He looked like he could command an army. Smart looking in her black suit and white shirt, Graves was imposing and dignified. Laura couldn't help but wonder if he practiced his stoney face in the mirror.

The room had quieted the instant he walked in. Standing at the front of the room, he addressed his Aurors. "As many of you know, a small group of Grindelwald's men attacked wizards and no-majs in D.C. Johnson, Clover, Mitchells, Anderson, and Ryebolt will come with me to D.C., while the rest of you will continue your work here. Hitcher is in charge," he said. He didn't yell. He didn't whisper. He spoke in a normal tone, but it resonated throughout the large office that held a good 30 or so Aurors. Graves gave the group one last pointed look before turning on his heel and heading back to his office.

Laura dove into the file on her desk, profiling a witch by the name of Cassidy Cruxmore. From an old American wizarding family, Cruxmore was being accused of ties to Grindelwald. There wasn't much evidence, which was why Graves had sought fit to throw the file on Laura's desk. She was the newbie, after all.

Reading through the file a good 10-15 times, Laura got engrossed in her work. She compiled whatever information she could from the office files and went through those, researching the family and any connection to Grindelwald or any of his known followers.

"Maurette?" a voice shook Laura from her thoughts.

Laura startled, rustling the papers on her desk and she shot up straight in her chair. She looked up from her desk to find Tina looking down at her, slightly concerned.

"Sorry, what?"

"Do you want to get a quick lunch? I know you're busy, but you should eat. There's a good little café on the first floor," Tina offered.

Her eyes wandered up to the clock on the wall. It was almost one. Laura sighed. She should eat. She wanted to have something to offer Graves by the time he got back, but it was unlikely.

She smiled up at Tina and nodded. "Food is probably a good idea," she said.

Their break only lasted about 20 minutes (with about ten of it standing in the queue, it felt like), but it was a refreshing 20 minutes for Laura. Tina was a little chatty, but Laura didn't mind. The younger woman was kind and goodhearted. She loved being an Auror and although she admitted she could be a little clumsy at times, in the field, she felt she was at the top of her game.

With their short lunch break over, the two women returned to their respective work. Laura continued her research into the Cruxmore family and with the information the office had, was able to find a couple of missed connections between the family and a couple of Grindelwald's top known followers. She worked diligently to put a clean report together for Graves, who, by the end of the work day, still hadn't returned from D.C.

Just before the clock in the office hit 5pm, Laura gathered her report and headed up to Hitcher's desk. The black woman was nice enough, but was curt when Laura handed over her report.

"For Graves, when he gets back," Laura said, report hanging in the air in front of her.

Hitcher barely looked up. "Then set it down. And go."

Laura didn't need to be told twice. The file fluttered to the top of a growing pile on the woman's desk. She turned on her heel, fighting back a smirk and almost ran straight into Director Graves.

"Bleh," she muttered as she stepped back from the man, slightly startled.

Graves said nothing, but stared down at her, not quite glaring. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and had settled not quite on her eyes but seemingly on her forehead, and his lips were pulled thin. Laura noticed his throat was at eye level. She had seen his scorpion tie pin during her interview, but seeing it this close, she noticed that both scorpions had a small green jewel that shined a lovely shade of green.

"Sorry, sir. I didn't hear you back there," she apologized.

He still said nothing. Graves looked over her to Hitcher. "My office, now." As her boss passed by her, Laura noticed a small streak of blood behind his left ear.

"Sir," she called out quietly.

He paused and looked back, growing annoyed by his newest employee. Hitcher was still picking up papers from her desk.

Laura casually reached up to her own neck and mouthed "blood" to him.

A slight flicker of something crossed his face. Was it embarrassment? Recognition? She wasn't sure, but Graves reached up, moved his hand behind his ear, and the blood was gone.

Satisfied, Laura returned to her desk without so much as a smile towards her boss. She didn't think he'd care.

Done for the day, Laura signed out and grabbed her things to head home. She was tired. Reading about Cruxmore and Grindelwald all day had left her emotionally drained. So she would go home and read one of her favorite lighthearted books, a comedy about a man and woman falling in love. Despite not having ever been in love herself, the book never made her sad. And after today, she could use a good laugh.


	3. Dancing in a Hurricane

**Author's Note:** I realized, as I was writing this, that it is going to be a very slow burning fic. Sorry!

 **Chapter 3- Dancing in a Hurricane**

As Laura left her house the next morning, she was pleasantly surprised to find the morning's issue of the wizarding newspaper on her doorstep. She bent down and picked it up, smiling softly to herself as she thought about the Goldstein sisters. But her smile faded as she read the big headline on the front page.

 _AURORS CATCH CRUXMORE DAUGHTER IN PLOT TO AID GRINDELWALD IN AMERICA_

So much for her report.

With a flick of her hand, the newspaper shrunk and flew into the pocket of the ugly Auror leather coat MACUSA made them wear. In England, the Auror's didn't have to wear such silly things. They also had a fedora they had to wear. Laura didn't mind the hat so much. Although, given her short bob cut, sometimes she thought she looked like a man beneath the hat. Especially on the days like today, when she was wearing a suit. Her heels helped, though.

Stepping into the Woolworth Building, where the MACUSA headquarters were located, was still like a dream for Laura. She couldn't explain what made the American headquarters so different from the British one, but there was something in the air. Maybe it was because it was new to her. Maybe it was because MACUSA represented a fresh, promising start.

Laura headed to the lift behind a small group of Aurors. She recognized most of them, including the angelic Minali Leenga. Laura didn't know a thing about Minali, besides her name and job, but she knew the woman was gorgeous. Tall, probably just under 6 feet, Minali kept her jet black hair in a braid that wrapped around her head and ended up in a small bun on the back. She had dark skin that she always accentuated by wearing bright colors like red and orange, much to the apparent dismay of her superiors who wished she'd go with less flashy colors. Laura had already noticed that Minali almost always had a smile on her face. Refreshing and hard to do, considering their job.

Most importantly, some of the other Auror's had mentioned that Minali was one of the best in the office. A lot of the younger women aspired to be her, while the men all wanted to be with her.

The small group of Auror's stepped into the lift and it was as she stepped in that Laura noticed her boss, Mr. Graves, in the back of the lift. He was too busy looking at his newspaper to care about the people around him. Unfortunately, she was the last one in and the only spot available was directly in front of him. So she took a deep breath and took her spot, her back to her new boss.

She tried to keep her face neutral as she stood so close to him. It wasn't that she was afraid of him, no, but for some reason this morning, she was starting to feel that sort of creeping fear of disappointment that so many of the Auror's had for their boss. He made her nervous and she didn't like being nervous.

"Good morning. It's Laura, right?" Minali said from the corner of the lift.

Laura looked up, surprised. She smiled. "Yes, good morning."

"Ah, the English. I just love the accent," she said in a soft, lyrical voice.

Laura smirked. "Just wait 'till you meet someone from the East End of London," she joked. Laura had grown up with a general posh accent, but she knew a wizarding family from the East End that had the typical Cockney accent. It wasn't that it was bad, it was just sometimes hard to understand. Like some of these American accents she was running into.

The lift arrived at their floor and the Aurors piled off, some chatting with each other. Minali stepped up next to Laura.

"D'ya think the Auror programs are the same between England and here?" she asked.

Laura shrugged. "Can't tell too much yet, but mostly, yeah. Some personality differences, maybe. But work wise, it seems the same so far."

"I've always wanted to visit England," Minali said, her eyes drifting up as if she was dreaming of England then and there.

"It's not that great," Laura said. "It's generally the same as here. I mean, the wizards dress a bit differently."

"Oh?" Minali's interest was piqued. She looked down at Laura, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"We still wear robes and stuff. Not around muggles, yeah? But, we probably don't follow muggle fashion as closely as you all seem to do."

"Perhaps that's why you have such a problem with no-majs' finding out about you," Graves quipped as he passed by the two women. They stopped in their tracks, watching their boss saunter off, clearly pleased by his comment.

Laura bit her tongue at a response. There was plenty she could say to that, but he was her boss and she was still too new to start a fight.

"Ignore him," Minali said softly. "Graves is an amazing Auror and leader. There's none better, but he sacrificed a part of himself to get there." She smiled at Laura. "Not all of us have problems with the No-Majs'," she added in a whisper. With a wink, she began heading to her desk.

Smiling appreciatively at the woman, Laura walked to her own desk, ready for the day to be over already. As she settled in for a long day, greeting Tina with a wave and smile, she hoped the day might pass quickly and quietly.

Unfortunately, Percival Graves had other ideas.

Only thirty minutes had passed when Graves called her into his office. Feeling like a scolded school child, Laura made her way to his office down the hall, the eyes of her fellow Auror's on her.

Just before she reached his open door, Laura quickly adjusted her suit and smoothed down her hair a little. With a deep breath, she walked up to his door.

"Inside," he ordered, clearly annoyed by how long it took Laura to get to his office.

She stepped inside the office and jumped slightly as the door slammed behind her. Why was she so nervous?

"Sit."

Laura took a seat in one of the wooden chairs in front of his desk. Rather plain (the Head Auror at the Ministry of Magic had an ornately decorated, large wooden desk that was piled high with things), there were just a few books and odds and ends. It was the rest of his office that Laura was intrigued by. His office was filled with glass cabinets. Inside were various trinkets and items. How she longed to go through each cabinet and see what he had stored.

"I will extend you the courtesy of assuming you know that Cassidy Cruxmore has been apprehended," he began. He briefly looked up from the paper he was reading on his desk before looking back down. "I am interested in how you knew that Miss Cruxmore had ties to Oliver Henning, one of Grindelwald's most notable followers." He set the paper down, laced his fingers together, and looked up at Laura.

She raised an eyebrow slowly. "It's all in the archives, sir. You just have to look."

Graves stared blankly at her. "Why did _you_ think to look?"

"Because I was asked to put a file together on Miss Cruxmore and to, if possible, connect her to Grindelwald as it was being propagated that she, in fact, was one of his followers. So I followed connections and found she, in the past, had a relationship with Mr. Henning. I didn't have to talk to a single person to find that the relationship wasn't all that far in the past. In fact, not in the past at all, as I believe you discovered yesterday when you apprehended Miss Cruxmore and instead, quite in the present."

Graves studied her as she talked, his eyes watching her lips move. When she finished talking, he glanced back to her eyes. "A shame we didn't have that information sooner," he quipped.

Laura couldn't help herself this time. "A shame you didn't hire me soon," she said. "Sir," she added, feeling her cheeks blush.

She stared at him closely, waiting for the anger, and could have sworn the corners of his lips slightly moved upward. Instead, he sat back in his chair, unlocking his fingers.

"Miss Maurette, if you're half the investigator you appear to be, I do believe you'll be helpful in these coming months," he finally said. Although his voice was as stern as it always was, Laura let herself believe there was a touch of admiration. No, maybe not.

"I think you'll find, Mr. Graves, that I can be very helpful in numerous situations. It isn't all kittens and rainbows in England, you know," she said with a slight twitch of sarcasm to her voice.

Graves frowned. "I've read your file," he said in a low voice, heavy with a twinge of something. Something sad.

"I know."

A beat. He didn't look at her, but she could see it in his eyes. He understood. He knew what she had been through. Not just by reading her file, but because he had lived through the same kinds of things. Dark wizards didn't just live in Europe, after all.

"I want you to prepare to question Miss Cruxmore," he finally said.

Laura leaned forward in her chair, surprised. "I'm sorry, sir, what?"

"You, along with Auror Leenga, will question Miss Cruxmore tomorrow. She's being transferred in today and will be held in our cells until we get what we can out of her. Then the court will decide her fate. I want you to lead the questioning. Use whatever you have to against her. Get everything you can out of her. Understood?" His thick brown eyebrows moved as he talked, far more animated than the rest of his face ever seemed to get.

She tried not to throw up on his desk. It wasn't that she hadn't done things like this before, but she had only been here three days. This was going to be a huge test. If she passed, she might see time in the field quickly. If she failed…she may have to find a new country to live in.

Taking a deep breath, Laura nodded. "Of course, sir." She stood up, unable to keep her face from forming a deeply confused look. As she turned to leave, a book in one of his cabinets caught her eye.

 _The Gentle Sway_

She paused as the harsh recognition hit her like a bag of bricks. Laura bit back a sob and reached for the doorknob.

"Take today to continue your investigation into Miss Cruxmore with heavy focus on Mr. Henning. Perhaps that is the key to cracking her," Graves said from his desk.

Not trusting herself to look back at him or speak, she simply nodded and quickly left his office, shutting the door behind her.

Laura closed her eyes and leaned back against the door, letting out a deep breath. Today was going to be a long day.


	4. Chemical Insomnia

**Chapter 4- Chemical Insomnia**

 _December 1926_

Laura walked the nine blocks home, instead of apparating. She couldn't get Graves off her mind, and not in the usual way. He hadn't been this cruel since she first began working for him. Why had he regressed? Had she crossed some line? Had she done something wrong?

It bothered her too much.

She couldn't say she was used to these kinds of feelings. At Hogwarts, she had kept her head down mostly and just done her school work. Her parents put an extreme amount of pressure on her to be #1 in all of her classes. The few times she came behind other students were hell for her at home. So Laura hadn't made many friends, simply because she was too busy studying.

While at the Ministry of Magic, Laura had made a couple of work friends, but they never really hung out after work. And she didn't blame them for that. But here, she was free. She had made many friends, though a few had been lost along the way.

Whatever Graves was to her, a friend, a colleague, her better, he had treated her better than this. At times he could even be soft. Kind. His laugh had been her favorite. His smile brilliant. Had they gone too far in being friends and that's why he had regressed?

Reaching her lonely apartment, she entered quickly and immediately lit the fireplace. A warm light glowed throughout the small living room. Her entire flat was covered in bookcases and still she had to keep many books in a bottomless box. Laura had always loved to read. She bought as many books as could, including many banned books. She even bought many muggle books. They were very good at fiction.

Standing in her living room, her eyes were immediately drawn to the tattered copy of _The Gentle Sway_ that was pushed into one of the bookcases. It was the first book that Laura had ever bought with her own coins. She had saved up for weeks to be able to purchase the action/adventure story about a wizard and witch that cross Europe looking for dragons. It had been her favorite book as a child. She used to dream about running off to Europe, meeting a boy, and running around looking for dragons and other magical creatures.

But that wasn't to be her destiny. These days, the book made her sad, but staring at it this evening, there was a touch of hope that she hadn't had since she left for Hogwarts. With a heavy and defeated sigh, Laura looked away from the old book. There was no sense in dreaming.

There was a real threat. Grindelwald. His followers continued to kill wizards and muggles across Europe. But still, no one had spotted Grindelwald in months.

So where was he and what was he waiting for?

* * *

 _June 1923_

Laura and Minali had worked all day researching the Henning family for anything they might be able to use when questioning Cassidy Cruxmore. Graves had left around supper time, pausing as he walked by the Auror office, but he left without a word to the two women. Finally, around 9pm, the two women decided to call it quits and headed home. Laura knew she would need to be completely rested for the intense questioning that was likely to come.

Having questioned suspects and murderers before, Laura knew there was one of two ways this could go. Cruxmore could talk easy or she could play dumb. Minali was letting Laura take the lead, which meant it was up to the younger woman to crack Cruxmore.

That was a lot of pressure.

She tossed and turned for most of the night, unable to stop dreaming about the questioning going horribly wrong. Before the sun rose, Laura was up and out of bed, pacing her small flat. She needed to get her mind off of the case.

So she turned to her favorite pastime, reading. Searching her many bookshelves, Laura located one of her favorite books, _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_. It was a muggle book and oh so good. She had lost count of how many times she had read it. Although it was not necessarily a happy story, it was one that helped Laura get her mind off of other things.

Slowly, engrossed in her book, the hours passed and then her alarm was going off. It was time to go to work.

One thing Laura had learned was that when questioning a suspect, wardrobe and make-up could make a big difference. She needed to look approachable, respectable, but not like the head of an office (not that she was). The typical Auror outfit had to go. No suit. A nice work dress with simple, but noticeable make-up was her choice.

Before leaving her flat, Laura gave herself one last look in the mirror. Her hair was combed smooth, while she wore a subtle pink lipstick and gold eye shadow on her face. She had chosen a white middy blouse that she had buttoned up to the top with a soft yellow pleated skirt. A matching yellow cardigan was slung over her arm along with her leather Auror coat, though she had no intention of wearing it inside the interrogation room.

Satisfied, Laura left her flat and quickly apparated near the Woolworth building. Walking at a normal pace, Laura found herself questioning every decision she had ever made up to this point. Shaking her head of her insecurities, she entered the building and headed for the lift.

Relatively quiet, it seemed that the young Auror had arrived before most of the others. She relished the stillness of the building.

Only a few Auror's were already in, including Minali. Minali hopped up from her desk, an unbreakable enthusiasm, and greeted Laura.

"You look radiant," she complimented the younger woman.

Laura smiled. "Thank you. I was going for comforting."

Minali nodded. "Good idea. Make her think you're on her side by being friendly. Expert."

She felt a blush creeping up her neck at the compliment. She had received compliments before, but they always seemed to be hinged on something else. _You were great at this, so can you do this for me? You did so well at this, shame about your family._

Laura threw her coat and cardigan over the back of her chair, looking down at her desk, avoiding Minali's face.

"Have you heard what time we'll question her?" Laura asked.

"Hitcher was saying sometime around 9ish," she answered.

"Good." Laura looked up at the clock on the wall. It was only 7:40. She couldn't help but sigh.

Minali followed her line of sight and then looked back at her, smiling knowingly. "Don't worry. We'll go over our notes and game plan and the hour will pass before you know it."


	5. Dance of Fate

**Chapter 5- Dance of Fate**

The long walk to the interrogation room with Minali at her side made Laura feel like _she_ was the suspect. She tried to steady her breathing as the two women headed to one of the basement levels, but her heart just kept beating erratically.

What was her problem?

She had done this before. Questioning dark wizards wasn't easy, especially with her family, but nobody knew that here. These wizards didn't know who she was. Cruxmore had no idea.

So why was she so nervous?

Director Graves and MACUSA President Seraphina Picquery met Minali and Laura outside of the interrogation room. Laura had briefly met the President while she was visiting for her interview, but she had heard plenty about the witch. She was wearing a long dark grey dress coat with a matching head cover, her blonde hair just peeking out from the cover.

"Miss Maurette, Miss Leegna, I wish you the best of luck," Picquery said. "Anything you can get out of Miss Cruxmore could greatly aid us in finding and defeating Grindelwald."

"We will do our best, Madame President," Minali said.

Laura forced a smile. She wasn't so sure. They would do their best, sure, but that didn't mean they'd get anything useful out of Cruxmore.

Graves didn't say anything. He stood there, stoned faced, no suit jacket, his hands jammed into his trouser pockets. Laura briefly wondered if he was regretting his choice to have her do the questioning.

Minali and Laura entered the interrogation room. Laura sat down on the far side of the desk, facing the door, while Minali stood behind her, wand ready in her hand. The younger woman set Cruxmore's file on the table in front of her, closed, her hands flat on top. She knew that Graves and Picquery, and probably other Aurors, were on the other side of the wall to Laura's right.

 _Calm down,_ she told herself. Closing her eyes, Laura focused her breathing. _Whatever happens, you are prepared. You are a good Auror. You have dueled fierce opponents. The Cruxmore girl is nothing._

Letting out a breath, Laura opened her eyes, focused and prepared.

A minute later, the door opened and two guards led in Cassidy Cruxmore. The 20-year-old woman looked a mess. Her long brown hair was stringy, her eyes hollow. She hunched over, her hands cuffed in front of her. The poor woman looked like she had been through the ringer.

Laura made sure her surprise was visible on her face. _Step one: gain the woman's trust._ Laura stood up from the table as the woman was led over, smiling sadly at her.

Despite her dirty look, Cruxmore still had a little bit of defiance in her eyes. She jerked away from the guard as they set her down in the chair. Laura sat down slowly in her own chair, watching Cruxmore's face closely. She nodded to the two guards, who, after looking at Minali, left the room, shutting the door behind them.

"Good morning, Miss Cruxmore. My name is Laura. This is Minali," Laura said, gesturing to the woman behind her.

Cruxmore said nothing, she just glared at both women.

"I know what you're thinking," Laura began.

Cruxmore snorted. "I doubt that, British bitch," she spat.

Laura smirked. "You're thinking this is a formality. That you're as good as dead. Well you're wrong," she said. "This is not a formality. You are not as good as dead. You still have power here."

There was the barest of twitches in her Cruxmore's eyes. She took the bait, even if just a little.

"You do have power. You can help yourself. Talk to me and I guarantee you will not be given a death sentence."

Another twitch, this time in Cruxmore's lips.

"I know you don't want to trust me and I don't blame you. I am an Auror. I'm sure after the other day, you don't want to trust Auror's. Again, I don't blame you. But you have to trust someone." She turned up her hands over the table. "So trust me."

Cruxmore looked between the two women, gauging the situation. Laura could practically see the wheels spinning in Cruxmore's mind.

Laura set her hands back on the table and opened up Cruxmore's file. "You attended Ilvermorny, correct? What house?"

"Pukwudgie," Cruxmore answered in a small, raspy voice after a moment.

"I was in Wampus," Minali said kindly. "My dearest friend was in Pukwudgie."

"You did well in school," Laura continued, speaking in a friendly voice. "That's commendable."

"I liked school," Cruxmore said. "For the most part."

"So what happened after?"

The young woman stared at Laura, her eyes wide. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me, please." She leaned forward.

"Life never goes as planned, does it?" Cruxmore whispered. She started to shake slightly.

"No, I suppose not," Laura said. "What did you have planned?"

For the first time, Cruxmore smiled. She stopped shaking and closed her eyes, like she was dreaming. "I would marry a handsome man who was kind and loving. We'd have three children, two boys and a girl. I could be a healer. Or at least an assistant. He'd work here, at MACUSA, and be so respected. We'd be happy." Her voice trailed off. "Happy," she added in a sad voice.

Laura frowned. "So what went wrong?"

"Handsome men who are also kind are hard to find," she said bitterly, opening her eyes. "Men. Family. Everything went wrong."

"Henning?"

Cruxmore visibly jerked back at the name.

"Tell me, Cassidy, please. Help me help you. It's your best chance."

Suddenly, Cruxmore jumped forward and grabbed Laura's hands, pulling her close. Cruxmore's face was just inches from Laura's. The Auror could smell the morning's breakfast on her breath, along with a slightly foul smell. Laura reeled back, but Cruxmore held her hands tightly.

In the next second, Minali was next to Cruxmore, her wand pointed at the woman's throat. For the first time since meeting her, Laura saw an angry grimace on Minali's face.

Laura stared at Cruxmore's crazy eyes for a second before shaking her head at Minali. "It's fine. It's fine."

"Do you know what it's like?" Cruxmore began to ramble. "What it's like to have a crazy family? A family who wants to control your every move? To take you down a terrible road?" she started to sob as she spoke, clearly shaken by the turn her life had taken. "I didn't want this! Do you have any idea of what it's like?"

Laura's heart sunk into her stomach. It was beating widely and she became aware that she was sweating. Her palms grew wet in Cruxmore's grip. Laura began to breathe heavily as the woman rambled on about her family. Did she know what it was like?

Of course she did.

 _Take a breath,_ she ordered herself. _Regain control._

"Actually," Laura said, interrupting the broken woman, "I do." She spoke in a soft voice, an almost broken voice. _Use this,_ she told herself. _Use this and get out of here._

That familiar feeling was building up in her chest. The crushing hurt. It was like someone had shoved their hand in her chest and was just squeezing her lungs.

She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. Not in front of Cruxmore. Not in front of Picquery or Graves.

 _Graves_.

That son of a bitch had set her up. He had used her.

Laura squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. She had been through worse deceptions. Minali, watching closely, moved back just a step, but she kept her wand up.

"I come from a dark wizarding family as well, Cassidy," she said. "I grew up knowing what they wanted from me. I had to be the best in school or life was hell at home. I knew what my future was. Marry someone from another dark wizard family, have plenty of dark wizard children. And today? I'm sure they're out there in England following Grindelwald's lead. It's just the kind of thing my family would do."

Cruxmore stared at her in half amazement and half uncertainty. "How'd you get out?" she asked quietly.

Thinking back to the day she left home, Laura couldn't help but frown. "I snuck out in the middle of the night, using every silent spell I could think of, and apparated away," she whispered, her voice choking with emotion. "Some of my Professors at Hogwarts helped me find a place to live and got me an interview in the Auror program at the Ministry. I spent a lot of time hiding."

Cruxmore began to cry heavily, leaning towards Laura.

"I don't want to be like my parents. I don't want this life. But there's no hope for me."

Laura lifted her right hand to Cruxmore's face and gently rubbed her cheek. "There is always hope, Cassidy. I'm living proof. If you want to be better than them, then tell us whatever you know. Anything will help. Don't let them control you anymore," she spoke to her quietly and as kindly as she could. If Cruxmore wasn't faking, then Laura felt bad for the girl. She had been there. She knew what it was like. She knew how hard it was to get away.

That's why Laura was in the US. She didn't have to hide so much here.

Cruxmore nodded, taking breaths as she tried to stop crying. "The Henning's have a piece of land outside of Springfield, Virginia with a house that they use for meetings. It's heavily protected by spells and people. I don't know the spells, but I do know they always have at least four people walking around the house. It can be as many as ten if someone big is there. The nearest house is like two miles away. I've only been there twice, but I know Mr. Henning considered it his base of operations. It's easy for them to hide there."

Laura smiled kindly. "See? You can be better." She gently patted Cruxmore's hands and pulled away. "You'll have to go back to the cell, but-" Cruxmore's face fell, as if she had been betrayed. Laura put up her hand quickly, "-but, we'll make you more comfortable. Get you good food, clothes. Once it's safe, we'll set you up wherever you want to go."

Cruxmore still looked upset, but she nodded in understanding.

"Good girl. Anything else?"

"It's Mrs. Henning you have to watch out for. She can be a bitch with her wand," Cruxmore warned her.

Laura nodded. "We'll keep that in mind. Keep your spirits up."

Minali knocked on the door and moved for the guards to come in.

"Gently now," Laura ordered them as they pulled Cruxmore up from her chair. They eyed her, but did as she commanded, pulling Cruxmore more gently with them. She watched the young woman be escorted out, wondering what her future held for her. If she was genuinely changed, then Cruxmore deserved a chance.

She pushed up from her chair and noticed her hands were now shaking. Blood pulsed in her ears as the anger came back from her. Laura looked up as Graves came to stand in the doorway.

"Good job, Maurette. You worked her well," he praised her. But the praise fell on deaf ears.

"You know, _sir_ ," she said in a clipped tone as she moved around the table, Cruxmore's file in her hand, "you can be a real jackass."

He smirked at her, understanding exactly what her source of ire was.

"Miss Maurette!" President Picquery snapped from Graves' side.

Laura hadn't seen her standing there, but she also didn't care. Her eyes were fixed firmly on her boss. He had used her pain without her permission.

"If you ever do that to me again, I can't promise you what I'll do, but I know you'll regret it," she threatened him in a low, but steady tone. The smirk fell from Graves' face as he contemplated her words.

"Laura!" Minali said in a panicked tone from behind her.

"You can use my past, if you want. I get it. But you tell me first. I deserve that much. I mean, I get it, sir." She had stopped in front of him, staring up into his dark brown eyes, which stared back intently. "You want the job done. But this?" She gestured to the room. "This is what I'd expect of them, not the good guys. You may not have emotions, but the rest of us do. I have proved myself. I deserve better."

He paused for a moment, then nodded. He still didn't look like he cared. His face remained of stone. Nothing even in those eyes of him, except perhaps a touch of something that Laura couldn't place.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a report to write." Laura stormed off, the anger still pulsing in her veins. Now she understood why people were afraid of him. He seemed devoid of emotions. It was all about getting the job done, no matter who was hurt.

She had run from that. It wasn't what she was expecting here and that, that hurt more than she thought it would.


	6. Run for a Fall

**Chapter 6- Run for a Fall**

By the end of the day, every Auror in the office knew that Laura had had a spat with Graves. Unfortunately, the story snowballed and as the next day came to an end, most of MACUSA had heard that an Auror had cussed out the Director of Magical Security.

Laura was mortified.

Thankfully, most people didn't know it was her. As she rode the lift at the end of the day Friday, the other occupants were excitedly whispering about which Auror had cussed out the stern Graves. Laura stood in the corner, her eyes wide as the whispers filled the lift.

She almost ran from the headquarters and apparated home as quickly as she could. She was so glad it was Friday. Hopefully everyone would get it out of their systems over the weekend and life could go back to normal on Monday.

Laura knew it had been a mistake to call Graves a jackass, but she had been so angry. Her parents pulled that sort of shit all of the time when she was growing up. Even some of the Auror's at the Ministry of Magic had done it as well. It shouldn't surprise her that even the "good" guys were capable of, but Laura continued to hope for better.

Instead of having a nice, relaxing weekend where she could be proud of what she was able to pull out of Cassidy Cruxmore, Laura spent her two days off worrying and panicking that she was about to step in to a huge pile of shit on Monday morning. Graves hadn't spoken to her on Friday at all, which wasn't necessarily unusual. But given what she had said to him on Thursday, she worried she had overstepped the boundaries with her boss. Picquery, certainly, was unimpressed with Laura's chastising of Graves.

What a great first week for Laura. She was definitely making impressions, both good and bad.

Getting up on Monday morning, Laura prepared herself for the worst. She kept her head down as she headed for the Auror's office and was happy to notice most people seemed to have gotten over last week's debacle.

At her desk, Laura took off her coat and hat and quickly got to work. There was still a lot of work to be done before the Auror's would go after the Henning's home in Virginia.

Tina came in a few minutes after Laura and headed straight for her desk, a look of shock on her face.

"What is it, Tina?" Laura asked.

"You know how Queenie is a…," Tina whispered, leaning over Laura's desk.

Laura nodded. Queenie was a legilimens, though most people in MACUSA had no idea about the 20-year-old witch's abilities and for good reason.

"She 'heard' someone in Picquery's office saying that the raid on the Henning home had gone well!" Tina said.

Laura's stomach churned. Had they gone without her? She had been such a part of getting that information.

"I'm so sorry!" Tina said, touching Laura's hand softly.

She forced a smile and shook her head. "It's nothing. I'm new here, remember!" Laura tried to fake a happy tone, but her bitterness was too apparent. She wasn't much of a liar at times.

Tina frowned as she walked over to her own desk.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Laura forced herself to focus. Of course they would go without her. She had called her boss a jackass in front of another Auror and the President of MACUSA! She was lucky she was still an Auror.

She put her head down and got back to her work. With a heavy sigh, Laura closed her file on Cruxmore and put it in a drawer. There were plenty of other dark wizards to chase. She chose the next file on her desk and began reading about Oscar Dilihunt from Michigan.

So engrossed in her work, Laura never saw Graves come into the office. She was several pages into the file on Dilihunt when she realized someone was standing in front of her desk. Barely raising her eyes an inch, Laura immediately knew who it was.

 _Graves_.

Of course it was, in his finely tailored black suit.

Laura sat up, her eyes shooting up to see Graves looking down at her with a less than happy look.

"My office, now," he ordered sullenly.

Her face a fire in a furious blush, Laura quickly followed after her boss, the eyes of the room once again on her.

She was fired. She had to be fired.

Inside his office, Graves sat at his desk and as soon as Laura was inside, he waved his hand and the door slammed shut. Laura jumped uneasily and took the seat in front of his desk.

"Rumors fly," he began.

"Hardly my fault that MACUSA is filled with gossipy witches and wizards," she interrupted. If she was going to be fired, she was at least going to go out with dignity. Or at least sass.

He almost smirked. "And we both know what we know," he said. Graves locked his fingers together in front of him on his clean desk.

She eyed him warily. What was going on?

"I admit to being not all that undeserving of the anger you placed on me," he finally said.

Laura couldn't stop the shocked expression that crossed her face.

"I probably deserve worse. I strive to be the best at my job. I have to be, I am the Director. Everyone in that office and other offices look to me, but sometimes that means I forget that my Auror's are people. With emotions. You are my Auror. You do deserve better than the trick I pulled. I shouldn't have put you in that room because you are still far too new," he said. Laura could feel her heart beating more erratically with every word he said. He continued, "and because you are too like Cassidy. You are the same woman. If you had not left your family, you would be her, no doubt. Expect more dangerous. I wanted a result and I used you to get that result, in the process, you were…emotionally harmed. I apologize." There was a twinge of sympathy to his words, but also something akin to mocking.

The shocked expression on Laura's face began to melt away to anger once again.

"I understand that you spent three years as an Auror in England, but here, you are new. So you will go back to the bottom of the list. You will be considered a brand new Auror. You will work in the office until you earn your place, just like everyone else."

She felt sick to her stomach.

"Is that understood?" he asked.

Laura wanted to scream at him. To cry. To hit him.

"Miss Maurette?" he pushed, eyes narrowed as he studied her.

She realized she was shaking in anger. She took a deep breath and nodded, her lips pulled tense. "I understand, sir," she finally managed to say. Laura shakily stood up from her chair and straightened her skirt. _I understand that you're not a jackass,_ she wanted to say, _but an asshole._ But she kept her mouth shut. Without this job, she had nothing in a strange land. Maybe he knew that. Maybe that's what he understood. She needed him. She needed this job.

Once again, as she went to grab the doorknob, her eyes caught sight of his copy of _The Gentle Sway_ in the cabinet. It looked to be in pristine condition, the gold lettering of the title seemed to hover over the spine as if it was reaching for her, calling for her. Unable to hold back, Laura let out a loud sob. She covered her mouth with her right hand as her left hand pulled on the doorknob.

"Miss Maurette?" Graves called out, but she ignored him.

Laura rushed from his office and headed for the bathroom away from the Auror's office. She needed to calm down and catch her breath. In the bathroom, Laura headed for the farthest cubicle and locked herself in. She leaned against the door and began to cry.

There was so much for her to cry about. Why did Graves seem to _want_ to push all of her buttons? Did he want her gone? Had he really not wanted to hire her? Laura assumed those were just unfounded rumors, but given today, she had to wonder.

She wasn't a newbie. She had been around the block as an Auror. She had made many arrests and been in several duels. Laura was good at her job. So what if she was new to MACUSA? Why did that negate all of the hard work she had done?

Graves wasn't just a hardass. He was an asshole. They were _his_ Auror's and yet he treated them like shit.

Suddenly, Laura heard the door to the bathroom open. She immediately clammed up and stood up from the door she was leaning on.

"Laura?" Minali called out.

"I'm fine," Laura said, though she could hear the pain in her own voice. She definitely sounded as if she had been crying.

"Oh dear, is there anything I can?" Minali asked, walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

"Not unless you can convince Graves to quit being a dick," she half-joked.

"Did he fire you?" Minali asked in a strained voice.

"He might as well have. I'm to be a newbie," Laura choked out, the tears welling up in her eyes again. She leaned her head against the cool cubicle door. "Three years down the drain and for what?" she sobbed.

Minali was quiet.

"I don't deserve this," Laura whispered.

"Graves isn't all that bad," Minali said.

Laura stood up straight, sniffing as a thought occurred to her.

"You agree with him?" she asked, hurt.

"Not entirely, but you did openly call him a jackass in front of the President. He has to be seen to punish you."

"Like going to the Henning house without me wasn't punishment enough?" Laura snapped.

"How did you know about that?" Minali asked.

Laura swung the door open, glaring at Minali. "You knew?"

The woman stood in the middle of the bathroom and wouldn't meet Laura's eyes.

"Oh my god, you _went_!" For some reason, Laura felt betrayed. Sure, they had really only spent two days working together, but Laura really thought the women were friends. But they weren't friends, were they? Colleagues. Co-workers. Laura's shoulders fell. "It doesn't matter, does it? I'll always be judged for my family."

"About that…," Minali trailed off.

"My name isn't Maurette," Laura told her. She didn't know why she was. Minali didn't deserve to know, or did she? Despite the feelings of betrayal, Laura knew deep down that Minali was a good person and a good Auror. "My father is a Goyle and my mother is a Black. Two lovely families," she said bitterly.

Minali's hazel eyes went wide. "Oh."

Laura shrugged. "I just wanted to be different from them. Make my own way. But I don't think that's possible anymore."

"You told Cassidy to have hope," Minali pointed out.

Laura walked over to a sink and turned the tap on. She watched the water run down the sink for a moment. "There is no hope for people like me," she said quietly.

"You're here and that means something."

Laura splashed some water on her face, jerking slightly at the cold. She turned the faucet off and stood up. Watching her wet face in the mirror, Laura waved her right hand in front of her face. As her hand moved, the water disappeared from her skin, leaving her clean and dry. Her eyes were still red though, signaling to anyone who saw her that she was, after all, a mess.

"It won't mean much if I don't get to prove myself."

Minali stepped up next to Laura and put a gentle hand on the younger woman's shoulder. Laura watched Minali smile softly down at her.

"It's only been a week. There's still so much time for you," she said, trying to comfort Laura.

Laura looked up at Minali. "Nobody really knows how much time we have. And it seems I've lost valuable time." She shrugged again, Minali's hand sliding off of her shoulder. "Nothing I can do about it, though. Just keep on keeping on."

With one last smile to Minali, Laura walked around her and out of the bathroom. Whatever her demotion meant, she wasn't going to let Graves win. She would work and work hard and one day, she'd take the bastard's job right out from under him or die trying.


	7. Serenade of Self-Destruction

**Chapter 7- Serenade of Self-Destruction**

 _December 1923_

It had been six months since Laura had started working at MACUSA as an Auror and not much had changed. Graves still hated her. He rarely spoke to her and looked at her even less and when he did speak to her, it was usually to knock her down. After a few weeks of it, Laura had gotten used to it. He wasn't going to forgive her so easily.

Good thing she was used to being an outcast.

Most of the other Auror's didn't mind. They might not be buddy buddy with her, but they didn't take her as a social pariah. Minali still spoke encouraging words to her from time to time, but that was about it. Tina was her only real friend in the office and as such, her sister Queenie had also become a friend.

In October, Graves paired her with Larry Hinton, an experienced Auror who strove to be like Graves. Needless to say, he didn't like Laura. He would openly groan whenever Laura had to shadow him. Not that she ever got to shadow him outside of the office. No, Graves had kept Laura at MACUSA for the past six months. Even though she had arrested half as many dark wizards as Hinton had in twice the time.

Still, Laura tried to keep her head up. It would get better, one day.

Wouldn't it?

With the muggle Christmas holiday only a week and a half away, Queenie was already planning a Christmas lunch.

"I'll cook anything you want. Maybe make some English food for you? What do you eat on Christmas?" Queenie asked over lunch one day. Most days, when they had the time, the three women would meet up in the cafeteria at MACUSA, even if only for a few minutes. It was nice, particularly for Laura and Tina, to get a break from work.

Laura shook her head. "Nothing special, Queens. Whatever you guys eat is fine with me," Laura said. She was secretly over the moon to have been invited to their flat for Christmas lunch. She had spent the last few Christmases alone, so this would be a treat, no matter what was served.

Queenie reached out and laid a hand on Laura's. "You know we're so thrilled to have you over," she said, having read her mind.

Laura smiled. "Thank you, Queens. But really, anything's fine. I'm getting used to American cooking."

"You eat out too much," Tina gently admonished her.

She shrugged. "I'm too tired to cook at the end of the day. At least you have Queens," she said.

Queenie smiled brightly. "I am a very good cook. You're always welcome to come over, Laura. You know that, sweetie!"

Laura smiled again at Queenie. "I know, Queens."

"Leave her be, Queenie," Tina told her sister. "I can't believe Graves is sending some of us away this weekend for stakeouts."

Laura tried not to grimace. He was sending Tina away with her partner, Andrew Clive, for a weekend stakeout. Laura was not being sent away. No, she had to do paperwork all weekend.

"I don't like him either," Queenie said, reading Laura's mind again, not bothering to whisper.

"Queenie!" Tina admonished her.

Laura chuckled. "Never thought there'd be a day when I'd prefer my old Head Auror."

"What was he like?" Tina asked.

"Claudius Ridge was an…interesting man. He was too impressed by my marks at Hogwarts, by my skills, by it all. He was always tripping over himself to compliment me on cases. I hated it. It was the complete opposite of this. I just want to do my job. I don't need to be the one that everyone's always fawning over," Laura explained.

"And you don't need to be the one that is clearly being punished for far too long," Queenie added, a sympathetic look on her face.

"Exactly. I just want to do good work." Laura shrugged again. "Maybe Graves will lighten up in the New Year."

"All you need is a chance to prove yourself and he'll back off as much as he backs off anyone," Tina said hopefully.

"And don't call him a jackass," Queenie added. "Or any of the other words you think of."

All three women laughed openly. It was nice that Laura could laugh at her magnificent mistake now. She just hoped one day, Graves would too.

* * *

On Saturday morning, Laura and a few other Auror's found themselves in the entirely too quiet MACUSA headquarters. Dressed in a casual blouse, skirt, and matching cardigan, Laura set about her work quickly. Graves and Hitcher were both off for the weekend, so it was up to the individual Auror's to do their work.

She was beyond tired of paperwork. Researching families and writing to Auror's in other cities. She missed stakeouts and raids and arresting people. It was almost enough to make her leave, but what else did she have?

Laura couldn't go back to England. She was too well known there. There was too much history, too much pain.

And she had grown too attached to Tina and Queenie, so she couldn't even consider asking for a transfer to another city. This was her home now and she'd have to make it work.

Besides, Laura still really wanted to take Graves' job right out from under him, but that would take years of work. So here she was on a Saturday, dutifully doing paperwork when she should either be on a stakeout or at home, relaxing.

"Hey Maurette," Tony Hunter called out from the front of the room.

Laura picked her head up and looked towards the front of the room in annoyance. "The fuck you want?" she snapped, albeit in a joking manner.

"Five dragots says Leegna takes your case," he bet her. " _Again_." He chuckled loudly and so did the others in the room.

She rolled her eyes at him. "A galleon says Graves sends you to the Wand Permit Office the next time you accidentally hex a bird," she bet him.

The room roared with laughter. It sounded mean, but this was often the time the low pegs on the totem pole spent some of their afterhours time. Over the past six months, they had spent a lot of time together, being Graves least favorite people.

Hunter winked at her. "I'd be happy to hex you any day," he joked, making a play on English slang for women.

"Sorry, love, you're not my type."

"What is your type?" Edward Roche asked. Roche was a descendant of one of the original twelve MACUSA Auror's, the only black woman among the twelve, but he was currently on Graves' bad list for poor work performance. Laura felt bad for the guy, he was a victim of family. If he had had any other name, any other family, he might get by with his performance. But everyone expected better of him and he couldn't live up to that.

Laura knew all about that.

"Quiet," she joked.

"No wonder you're still single," Roche shot back.

Laura shrugged. "Could be, but I always figured it had to do with the fact I'm always here."

"Yeah, and who'd want to date another Auror? You'd never get away from them!" he joked, turning back to his work.

The laughter in the room faded away as the group went back to their work. By one o'clock, Laura was done with her work for the day. Despite the fact they were "asked" to come in on both Saturday and Sunday, they weren't expect to stay the whole day. So once Laura had gotten enough research done, she left.

But she didn't go home.

New York City didn't seem to have its own Diagon Alley, rather they had shops hidden throughout the city. For the past few months, Laura had spent much of her weekends at a wonderful bookshop she had found close to her house.

It was four stories tall, though hidden by magic of course. Sometimes, Laura forgot that there were that many books in the world. The bookshop had many of her favorite British Wizard authors, but also so many new American ones she had never even heard of.

She would often spend hours looking around the bookstore before picking one or two to take home. On her visit, she had spent quite a lot of dragot's buying a dozen books. She just hadn't been able to stop herself, not that she needed more books in her small flat.

There was a new book by an American Witch out this week that Laura was itching to read. In the store, she went straight for the New Releases shelf and picked it up, then headed for the second floor where there were several seats and tables so you could relax.

Laura took a seat near the window and dived into the book. _Jessica Cries_ was a romance novel about a 40-something witch and her 20-something Wizard lover. It wasn't exactly the kind of book Laura usually went for, but she wanted something fun to read to get her mind off of work.

The book was a typical steamy book. It was riling up some corners of the Wizarding world for being too steamy. Laura was engrossed in the book, her eyes devouring each page, quickly reading through the first half of the book.

 _Oliver was too young for her, but she couldn't resist him anymore. His dark brown hair with shaved sides made his youthful face look far more distinguished. Jessica imagined his face looking up at her from betwixt her legs, his thick eyebrows moving with passion as he pleased the older witch expertly. She wanted him badly._

Laura had to pause from her reading, sitting her book down in her lap. She closed her eyes and began to picture the scene from the book.

Her eyes shot up in terror as she realized she wasn't picturing a 20-year-old man between her legs, but _Percival Graves_.

With a small shriek, Laura pushed the book from her lap, eyeing it like it was a snake. Her heart beat widely in her chest. She gripped the arms of her chair tightly, continuing to stare at the book.

Why would she picture Graves of all people?

Laura closed her eyes again, leaned over in the chair, and put her head in her hands. She hated Graves. Loathed him. Was it just the author's description that made her think of Graves? He did have a pretty similar haircut to the young wizard in the story. Or was there something else?

Laura couldn't deny that Graves was handsome. She knew that Tina had a crush on their boss. Several of the women, and even some of the men, did. He was handsome, but she had _never_ thought of him in _that_ way and it frightened her to do so.

Letting out a deep breath, Laura sat up and opened her eyes. Her heart was beginning to slow, but she couldn't ignore _that_ feeling in between her legs. How horrible that Graves made her feel like that. Or maybe it was just the book. Maybe this was nothing at all.

Against her better judgment, Laura picked the book up from the floor, took it back downstairs and bought it.

She'd have to finish reading it in the privacy of her own home.


	8. The Obsessive Devotion

**Chapter 8- The Obsessive Devotion**

Her whole weekend was blown because of Graves, once again. She dreamt of him all Saturday night and woke up sweating and with a deep longing. No matter what she did, she couldn't get Graves out of her mind. She tried reading other books to get other faces in her mind, but Graves' face overtook them all. The thick eyebrows that seemed to have a mind of their own. The deep brown eyes that stared up at her with a fun that he never had at work.

Laura went to work on Sunday and kept her head down, feeling confused and exhausted. After work, she tried again to read different books in the hope of getting her bosses face out of her head, but it didn't work. Every male love interest transformed into Percival Graves in her mind, haunting her and driving her mad with desire.

She couldn't figure out where this came from. She had never thought of him sexually in the whole time she had known him. He was her boss, nothing more. It wasn't that Laura didn't have a sex drive; it just lay dormant most of the time. She had had a boyfriend at Hogwarts and tried to date while living in London, but it just never worked out for her. She was always looking for something more.

Monday was going to be interesting. Would seeing Graves in person make it worse? Or would it squash this burning feeling in the pit of her stomach?

She hoped for the latter. Laura did not want to have a crush on her boss.

On Monday morning, Laura left her house earlier than usual so that she could walk to work, instead of apparating, and watch people's faces. She hoped she find a handsome man or woman that would get her mind off of the Director of Magical Security.

But block after block, nothing worked. She saw several handsome men and many beautiful women, but she could still feel Graves in the back of her mind, a seductive smirk on his face, as if he knew she could never be rid of him.

Laura stopped dead in her tracks on the pavement.

 _Her mind._

Oh Merlin's beard.

Queenie could read her mind.

Queenie would read her mind and her dirty weekend secret would be known by someone else. Laura felt sick to her stomach. She didn't want to avoid Queenie, but she didn't want _anyone_ to know what she had been dreaming about all weekend.

Someone bumped into Laura's shoulder, bringing her back to reality. She shook her head and began walking again. She wasn't good at Occulmency, but she was happy to try. There had been a couple of occasions back in London when she had to use Occulmency and it went fairly well. Queenie seemed to do legilimency so easily, as if it was second nature. Could Laura stand up to that? She knew she could just ask Queenie to stay out, but as she hadn't thus far, she knew it would be too suspicious to bring it up all of a sudden.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Who would Queenie tell?

Standing outside of The Woolworth Building, it seemed more daunting than usual. Did other people deal with this? Were there several witches and wizards sitting in their offices, hoping to forget what it might look like to see their boss with his cock out? Were there wizards who dreamed of President Picquery? Laura knew several witches found Graves to be hot; did they fantasize about him too?

Sighing, Laura entered the large building behind several other people.

The first step to not thinking about Graves all day was to think about work. There were several dark wizards on the loose, possibly in the US, and she could worry about them. Not about Graves with his tie undone and his shirt unbuttoned.

Laura smiled when she entered the Auror office and saw Tina already at her desk. Talking to Tina about her weekend stakeout would help.

"How did it go?" Laura asked, standing in front of Tina's desk.

Tina frowned, her shoulders sagged. "It was so boring, Laura!" She leaned over her desk towards Laura, so Laura leaned down. "And Andrew talks too much!" she whispered.

Laura chuckled and stood up. "Nobody ever said chasing wizards would be fun and if they did, they were lying."

Tina leaned back in her chair. "We didn't find out much, so I'm not sure what to put in my report."

"Just put the truth," Laura said helpfully.

"How was your weekend?" Tina asked innocently.

The older woman shrugged. "Slightly more boring than yours, I imagine," she lied.

A commotion behind Laura grabbed her attention and she turned to see Graves and Hitcher walk into the office.

Blushing furiously, Laura dipped her head and took her seat, wishing she could be obliviated.

"Good morning, everyone. I am sure your reports from this weekend will be on my desk shortly," Graves said, eyeing the Auror's carefully. "But from what I hear, it was a successful weekend. We can look to make a couple of arrests this week and possibly more next month. That is the kind of work I expect out of you all."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but only because he was right. As an Auror, they should always give 100% and anything less could get people killed.

"Tomorrow, Hitcher will lead a raid on the Dilihunt home in Kalamazoo. Aurors Leegna, Isaacson, Olivier, Hinton, and Maurette will join her." Graves looked in Laura's direction and locked eyes with her, his face emotionless as always. "On Wednesday, we'll discuss the next raid. The meeting for the raid will take place at 10am with Picquery, so the six of you will need to be there and be prepared. Get to work," he ordered.

Laura tried not to throw up right then and there.

She was to go on a raid. _A raid?_

It had been almost a year since her last raid and that was the raid that made Laura realize she could no longer stay in London. After she was discharged from the hospital, she began sending her resume to some of the top Auror's offices in the world, including MACUSA. Although her boss, Claudius Ridge, had been sad to see her go, he still gave her a glowing recommendation, understanding her need to find somewhere new to live.

Hitcher stalked towards Laura, a file in her hands. She tossed it on Laura's desk, a scowl on her face.

"This is the Dilihunt file. You had better know it front and back by the time we get to the meeting," she ordered.

Laura nodded and immediately opened the file.

"I hope you're ready for this," Hitcher said.

She looked back up at the Senior Auror. "I've been on raids before," Laura said. "Successful raids," she added.

Hitcher didn't look too convinced, but walked away, probably looking for a new victim of her constant ire.

Laura poured over the file several times while keeping an eye on the clock. She did her best to memorize the words, but there was so much information in there and she had only two hours to read it.

About fifteen minutes until 10, the small group began to head for the downstairs Major Investigation Department office. Laura had never been there before and didn't know what to expect. She gathered up her files and a quill and paper and quickly followed behind Hinton. The man gave her a dirty look, obviously not happy with Laura being included on the raid, but headed for the lift.

The six Aurors climbed into the lift with the house elf, but as the doors prepared to close, another figure walked up. Laura, who was in the front, was panicked to see Graves strolling up to the lift, as casual as ever. His face locked in that stone cold exterior he seemingly had perfected, if he noticed Laura, he didn't let it show. Graves stepped into the elevator and turned his back to the young woman.

Her heart began beating widely and she could feel the perspiration start to gather on her forehead as the lift descended further into MACUSA headquarters. Laura stared at Graves' back. His jet black suit jacket looked to be in pristine condition as if this was the first time he was wearing it. She began to wonder what his closet looked like. Did he have ten of everything? Two? Did he do any tailoring work or did he have a magical tailor he took it to?

Her eyes drifted up to the back of his head. His hair was cut cleanly and closely on the back of his head until you got to the top, where he kept a longer coif that he always brushed and gelled back. Standing so close to him, Laura could just make out a few wisps of grey hair. How old was he?

Percival Graves had been Director of Magical Security since mid 1920. Laura knew he was descended from Gondulphus Graves, one of the original twelve Auror's for MACUSA, which meant he was well respected by all. And probably that name had given him a slight edge. In the three years since he had taken over as Director of Magical Security, dozens of dark wizards had been arrested and given sentences. President Picquery was said to consider Graves one of the best Auror's in MACUSA, which is why she elevated him to Director after she became President. They often worked closely together, and Laura couldn't help but wonder if there was something else there.

Especially as she stood so close to Graves. She could smell the soft scent of cologne on him. It was a light scent, which explained why she had never noticed it before. It wasn't overpowering like some of the men would wear theirs. Before she could figure out what it smelled like, the lift door opened and Graves walked out. She followed after him, mentally cursing herself for her stupid crush.

The Major Investigation Department was as dark as the Auror's office. It was the one complaint Laura had about MACUSA, everything came across as cold and depressing. At least the Ministry of Magic could sometimes feel alive and warm. The six Auror's took seats around the large table, while Graves stood at the front of the table. He dropped a thick ledger on the table.

"I don't have to remind you all of how dangerous Edwin Dilihunt is. But worse is his son Oscar, as we've come to understand," Graves began. He gave Laura curt look in her direction.

He had read her report on Oscar Dilihunt months ago. Despite her best wishes, Laura felt a twinge in her heart. Was it hope? No, that was stupid. Laura tried to mentally shake her head. This crush was getting out of control. Maybe she should beg Queenie to obliviate her.

"The stakeout over the weekend showed that Edwin, Oscar, and four others are living in the Dilihunt home in Kalamazoo. Each wizard or witch is to be considered bearing wand and dangerous," he warned them.

Laura paid attention carefully. Raids were nothing to joke about, especially when dangerous dark wizards were involved. Oscar Dilihunt was suspected of at least 10 brutal muggle murders. He moved around a lot and so it was often hard for the Auror's to track him anywhere. This was the first big break they had on the murderer.

"Director Graves," President Seraphina Picquery said as she walked into the room. Tall and statuesque, the woman knew exactly who she was and had no problem commanding a room with here mere presence.

"Madam President," he said.

Picquery turned towards the Auror's. "You know what is being asked of you and as always, you can say no. An Auror's job is dangerous, but this is asking quite a lot of you. We all know what Oscar Dilihunt has been accused of. If he's even half as dangerous as we believe, tomorrow will be incredibly dangerous for us all."

"Then why only six?" Hitcher asked.

"Only six from this office. The Chicago office is sending six of their own and the Detroit office will bring four of their own," Graves informed them.

Eighteen Auror's for just six people. The thought made Laura's stomach churn. She was no stranger to powerful and dangerous wizards, but it didn't make it any easier.

Picquery looked around the table until her eyes landed on Laura. Laura tried not to squirm too much under the intense stare of the President.

"Miss Maurette, I've read your file and I've spoken with Claudius Ridge and other top Auror's. They all speak highly of you," she said. Her voice wasn't quite monotone, but there also wasn't any mockery or praise to it.

Laura didn't know what to say.

"Do not disappoint them," Picquery added, slightly warning the young woman.

"It's not them I have to worry about," Laura said quietly, referring to Graves. "But I've done this before. I know what's expected."

A small smile crossed Picquery's face. "I read the report from the raid and arrests in Manchester. We'll need that bravery from you tomorrow."

Her crush on Graves' gone from her mind, the weight of what was expected of her weighed heavily on Laura. If she slipped up tomorrow, it could further damage her career. But if she did well, what would be next for her?

"As ever, I will do my best."


	9. Divide and Conquer

**Chapter 9- Divide and Conquer**

The group of six Aurors stayed in the Major Investigation Department for the rest of the day with Graves, going over their general plan, as well as spells that were acceptable to use. Graves gave them their plan and then let them talk it out with Hitcher running things. He stayed most of the day, mostly watching.

Laura generally ignored him, focusing intently on what would come tomorrow. As she knew, you could only plan so much. But it was often better to go in with a plan than to just wing it.

Laura was worried about having three separate groups work on a raid without discussing things together. Apparently Graves was too. He disappeared around lunch and then came back without a word. He left again near the end of the day and returned with two letters that he gave to Hitcher.

"We'll meet in Detroit with the other two groups," Hitcher announced, "before we all head to Kalamazoo in order to make sure we won't step on each other's toes."

The young Auror calmed slightly, but she had no idea of what to expect from the Detroit or Chicago Auror's. Personality could be the kiss of death in their job, especially when you didn't know people. For example, Hitcher might always be looking for someone to be grumpy towards, but when it came to the field, she had the back of those around her. As an Auror, you had to always trust those around you.

Laura hoped everyone trusted her because she trusted them all.

When supper time rolled around, Graves ordered everyone home. "Eat, rest, relax. Be ready for tomorrow. You'll leave by broomstick at 7am, before sunrise. Head for Detroit. The raid is scheduled for 10am, but that's not set in stone. Keep it tight," he ordered.

She tried not to outwardly groan at the thought of riding a broomstick. It had been her least favorite and least successful class at Hogwarts, but given the size of the United States, it was often the easiest way for Auror's to travel quickly. Apparate too far and you could splinch yourself.

Taking the long walk home, Laura watched the faces of the men and women who passed, though for different reasons from this morning. No longer was she fighting to get Graves' face out of her mind, but instead she was reminding herself of what she was fighting for. She might not agree with Rappaport's Law, but she had to admit that things were far more tense between muggles and wizards in the U.S. and she didn't agree with Grindelwald or his followers. Death was not the answer. War was not the answer.

Peace was the answer.

Laura slept better that night than she had all weekend. Which sort of scared her. She was apparently more upset by dreaming of fucking her boss than of going on a raid.

Although, to be fair, she had been on a raid before. She had yet to see her boss naked.

Going up against dark wizards was far less frightening than getting naked with someone who could easily fire you.

Or getting naked with anybody, really.

She woke early and was at the office by 6:30am. She wasn't surprised to see that almost everybody else was already there, only Valdemar Isaacson had yet to arrive.

"Good morning, Maurette," Minali greeted her with a cheery smile. She looked well rested and like it wasn't so early in the morning. "What a day ahead, right?"

Laura smiled at the older woman. "We usually do raids at night in England, so this is different."

Minali nodded. "Usually us too, but the house is so far removed from other houses, we don't need to hide."

Certainly there were benefits to a raid in the day. At night, there was always the possibility to accidentally hitting a friendly. Not so much in the day.

But you were more open in the day.

That could be hard for wizards.

Once Isaacson had arrived, Graves led them upstairs to the roof. Part of Laura wished he was going with them, but she understood why he wasn't. He was needed in New York. Hitcher could take care of them.

While everyone grabbed a broomstick and prepared to take off, Graves walked in between them, giving each Auror one last comforting word. Laura was in the back, not wishing for anyone to watch her bumble her take off.

"Miss Maurette," he said, stopping beside her. He had his hands in the pockets of his pants, his suit jacket pulled back, showing off his black waistcoat.

Laura stared at his neck, studying every detail of the scorpion pins on his shirt collar. She really loved the soft shade of green on the jeweled end.

"I know you'll do well," he said quietly. There was a touch of kindness to his voice that she hadn't heard from him in the eight months that she had known him. Even in her first interview with him back in April, he had been curt. "You are a talented Auror and I am trusting you to watch the others."

Tears pricked at her eyes and Laura looked down at her broomstick. How dare he be so cruel to her for months and now, before she may well die, he was giving her praise.

"I never meant to be cruel," he said.

Laura scoffed and then blushed.

"When you get back, I promise to work on my attitude."

She looked up at him, smirking. "When I get back, just find me a new partner. Hinton hates me," she said in a quiet voice.

The corner of Graves' lips tugged up slightly. "Only because you're better than him and he knows it." Graves stepped back from the Auror's, a fondness on his face that Laura had never known from him.

As they slowly rose up in the air, Laura realized that Graves was quite fond of his Auror's.

* * *

The flight to Detroit was longer, and colder, than Laura would have liked. But who could be picky?

The Detroit MACUSA office was kind enough to give the Auror's a chance to get cleaned up before calling a meeting to order just past 8:30am.

The eighteen Auror's surrounded a large table and another 10 Auror's were standing by the walls, watching and listening. The head Auror in Detroit, an African-American wizard by the name of Clarence Wallace, lead the briefing. Only he, Hitcher, and the lead Chicago Auror, Hiroyuki Hattori, spoke, with the other Auror's only listening.

The longer the meeting went on, the more relaxed Laura became. This was her element. This was what she had trained for.

"I believe it will be beneficial for us to stay within our own groups. We know each other and trust each other," Hattori suggested. "Even though we wear our coats, be sure to recognize the faces of the other Auror's, just in case."

Everyone nodded, looking around, trying to memorize the faces of those around them. Laura saw mostly older Auror's, but she wasn't sure if they were actually older or just weighed down by their jobs. Most Auror's didn't live to old age.

Theirs was a dangerous job.

Finally, they broke out. They were to use the floo network and arrive at a safe house in Kalamazoo. Once there, those who knew where they were going would apparate with those who did not.

At the safe house in Kalamazoo, Laura and Hinton stood on either side of Hattori and waited while he apparated to the woods outside of the Dilihunt home. Laura moved away from Hattori once they arrived and he apparated away to his pre-decided spot.

Hinton and Laura knelt down on the edge of the small woods, the house not far from where they were. It was a two-story house done in a rather simple red brick style. Far different from what Laura was used to in London and even the New York brownstones. From her studying, Laura knew the Dilihunt house had 5 bedrooms, two studies, and a basement. There were a lot of rooms for the six people that were rumored to be in the house.

Of the eighteen Auror's present, only eight would go into the house. Six would be directly outside the house, while the final four would be in the woods, just in case. As soon as they could, the ten outside would put up a barrier that would hopefully keep anyone in the house from apparating.

That was the plan.

Hinton and Laura were a part of the group that would take up positions right outside of the house. She knew her partner wasn't overly thrilled with being relegated to outside of the house, but Detroit was taking the lead. Hitcher and Minali would go inside with the six Detroit Auror's, leaving Chicago and the rest of the New York Auror's to man the outdoors.

As they waited for the go signal, Laura's heart and nerves stayed steady. She was ready for whatever would come her way.

She hoped.

A minute later, the signal was up. The lead six apparated around the house and rushed inside, shouting "MACUSA Auror's! Put your wands down!"

Once they were inside, the next six Auror's apparated to their positions and began helping the final four to put up a barrier. Laura worked silently from her spot in front of the house, to the right of the front door, her eyes locked on the window in front of while her wand did the work. She could hear the commotion inside. Doors breaking, glass breaking, people yelling. With the curtains shut, she couldn't see inside of the house and she wasn't sure she wanted to.

Once the barrier was up, Laura lowered her arms, but kept her wand at the ready. The shouting inside got louder. She glanced over to Hinton. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, ready to run in as soon as someone called out or he got the hint that it wasn't going their way.

Laura looked back to the front door, which had been shut by whoever was last through it. She stared at it, waiting for something.

And she didn't have to wait long.

The door exploded, sending wooden shrapnel back towards Hinton and Laura. Laura covered her face and turned away as the wood exploded out into the front yard. Gasping, she turned back just as Emmaline Dilihunt came running out in her unbuttoned blouse over a black corset and a long black skirt.

"Stop!" Laura called out, flicking her wand at Emmaline.

The matriarch of the family blocked the _Stupefy_ as she tried to run through the yard and sent one of her own, which Laura in turn blocked. Emmaline turned in the middle of the yard after seeing the barrier the Auror's had put up and immediately sent a nasty curse Laura's way.

Laura dodged it and sent a silent _Expelliarmus_ at Emmaline, which the woman blocked.

With a quick glance to her right, Laura saw that Hinton was down, a piece of the front door on his back. She looked back at Emmaline. The 60-something-year-old woman had a creepy smile on her face as they battled, looking every bit as deranged as you would expect of Grindelwald's followers.

Hearing the sounds of the fighting inside, Laura wanted to end this fight and now.

She cast a _Stupefy_ , _Expelliarmus_ , and another _Stupefy_ at Emmaline in quick succession and the woman blocked each one, until finally, Laura hit her square in the chest with a _Flipendo_. Emmaline squeaked loudly as she flew back. While she was still on her ground, Laura took a few steps towards the woman and hit her with _Petrificus Totalus_. The old woman's legs and arms snapped shut against her body.

" _Accio_ wand!" Laura yelled out. Emmaline's wand shot of her petrified hand and into Laura's hand. She pocketed it, turned and headed into the lion's den.

The house was a mess. Bookcases overturned, furniture destroyed, and walls scorched from errant and dodged curses.

Her head on a swivel, Laura crept through the house, heading towards the sound of fighting in the kitchen. Unlike most of the doors on the first floor of the house, the kitchen door was still intact, if not a little burnt. Laura could hear a fight going on in the kitchen.

She cast a small silence spell on the door and slowly pushed it open, peering through the small crack. Inside, Hitcher was fighting Oscar Dilihunt himself. The man looked as deranged as his mother as he sent curse after curse towards the Auror. Laura could tell by the colors that they were not nice curses, as if there was a thing.

Laura did not intend to intrude. She didn't want to throw Hitcher off her game, so Laura began to back out.

Instead, something barreled into Laura and pushed her through the door and onto the glass covered floor.

She cried out in pain as glass cut into her arms and face. Her wand was thrown from her hand. With a grunt, Laura threw her elbow back, connecting with someone's chest. She looked over her shoulder and was a little surprised to see Joachim Frei behind her. Frei was a well known dark wizard in Germany that had spread his own special brand of terror through his native country. He hadn't been on their list for this raid.

Quickly recovering from her shock, Laura reached up with her arm and then slammed her elbow into Frei's nose. Blood spurt from his nose and she did it again. Frei's eyes rolled back in his head, but Laura didn't sit back. She waved her wand hand over his face and sent him flying into the cupboard far to their left. Satisfied, Laura climbed to her feet and called for her wand. As it hit her hand she looked over at Hitcher and Oscar just in time to see Oscar hit the Auror with _Avada Kedavra_.

"Hitcher!" Laura yelled out as the woman crumpled to the floor, the sound of Oscar laughing in the background.

Anger coursed through her veins. She threw several _Stupefy's_ towards Oscar, expecting him to block each one, and he did. As she threw the charm at him time after time, she moved back towards where Frei's unconscious body lay. And then she took off towards the table that stood between Laura and Oscar, sending whatever jinx's she could think of, including the stinging jinx. Oscar seemed confused at the woman running towards him and was preoccupied with blocking the curses.

Laura jumped and slid across the table, still sending curses at the murderer, who looked utterly bewildered at Laura's fighting style. Unable to send his own curses at Laura, all Oscar could do was block curse after jinx after hex that came his way. She sent one final _Flipendo_ before her heeled feet slammed into Oscar's chest.

The two collided violently. Oscar flew back and hit the ground with a hard _thud_. A second later, Laura landed on top of him, her right knee on his chest. She felt the air from his lungs rush past her face as he let out an inhuman sound. Tossing her wand to the ground beside them, Laura felt like hitting the man. So she did. Repeatedly.

His nose and lips bloodied, Laura still didn't feel satisfied, but he wasn't the only one in the house. Laura climbed to her feet, one foot on either side of his motionless body. He looked up at her through swollen eyelids. He began to move for his wand, but Laura flicked her hand over him, silently hitting him with one final _Stupefy_.

She stood over him for a second longer, collected her wand and his, then turned and headed back for Frei. The man was still unconscious, but just in case, Laura hit him with a _Petrificus Totalus_.

Finally, Laura turned to look at where Hitcher had fallen. The poor woman's crumpled body lay among the wreckage of the kitchen. Undoubtedly, the Auror had been up a good fight. She walked over to Hitcher and knelt beneath her, ignoring the shards of ceramic and glass that pressed into her knee painfully. With a shaky hand, Laura touched the side of Hitcher's neck.

 _Nothing_.

She hung her head and said a small prayer for Deidre Hitcher.

Laura heard the sound of running feet. She jumped up, wand at the ready as Hinton came through the door, his eyes wide.

"Maurette!" he shouted in surprise.

Laura sighed. "I've got Frei and Oscar here," she said, trying to will her heart to settle back down.

"Frei? He wasn't supposed to be here," Hinton said as he walked into the kitchen, looking towards Frei's unconscious body.

"Oscar got Hitcher," Laura said sadly, her voice catching a little.

Hinton whirled around in surprise, his eyes looking around until they came to Hitcher's body. His shoulders fell.

"Hitch," he whispered.

"Is it safe?" Laura asked.

Hinton said nothing.

"Hinton!" she yelled.

His head snapped up, looking at Laura. "What?"

"Is it safe?" she asked again.

"I-I-, uh, I think so."

"Don't think," Laura snapped. "Know."

He nodded. "Yeah, it's safe. Emmaline and Patrick Dilihunt were caught outside. Two got caught upstairs and one was just being brought upstairs," he said, more confidently.

"Good. Let's get everybody outside then," Laura said.

Hinton nodded, his eyes looking back down at Hitcher. Laura looked down at the woman as well. She looked almost peaceful in death.

"Hitcher first, I think," she said sadly.

"Yeah, Hitcher first."


	10. Storm the Sorrow

**Chapter 10- Storm the Sorrow**

Laura went through the motions as the Auror's collected their bearings and their dead. In addition to Hitcher, an Auror from Chicago was also killed. Three more were injured in varying degrees. While some of the Detroit Auror's stayed behind to keep an eye on the crime scene, the rest returned to Detroit.

Auror Wallace arranged transport for the New York Auror's to be able to take Hitcher home. They apparated to the river where they boarded a boat that took them down the Detroit River and across Lake Erie. Laura had never been on a boat before, but she didn't have the heart to enjoy it. She stood against the railing, watching the ripples as the boat zipped through the water.

The boat docked in Erie and Laura was surprised to see several muggle cars waiting for them. She had never been in a car, preferring to walk or apparate when she could. America was quite harder to get around than England was, so she could understand the need. Hinton and Laura rode in the same car on the long drive back to New York, but they didn't speak. They didn't need to.

By the time the five Auror's and their dead leader arrived back in New York, it was dark. The closer the car got to MACUSA headquarters, the more worried Laura grew. She knew what was coming next: debriefing. She had nothing to hide, but she didn't want to relive today's events ever again. Laura knew she was going to dream about it for months. Talking about it would be incredibly difficult.

She just didn't want to see anyone. Laura wished she could just go straight home and crawl into bed and not get out until the New Year.

But rules were rules. And MACUSA needed to know what happened so Oscar Dilihunt could be properly judged.

The cars pulled up to a back entrance that Laura hadn't known existed. It made sense, who wanted to transport a dead body through the front door?

Picquery and Graves were waiting for them. Laura and Hinton didn't move. They sat in the car, looking out of the car window. Graves looked about ten years older than he did when Laura and the others had left this morning. Even from twenty feet away, Laura could see how heavy the bags under his eyes looked. His usual straight posture was gone and instead he was slumped over slightly, his shoulders clearly feeling the weight of today's events. He wasn't wearing his suit jacket and his waistcoat was partly unbuttoned, which only added to how upset he looked.

Even Picquery looked like she could cry.

A minute later, Hitcher's dead body floated by the car. She was covered in a white cloth and as her body was floated past Graves, he bowed his head. Isaacson followed directly after Hitcher, being the one to have the terrible duty of bringing her inside. Minali followed behind him, still crying. Laura briefly wondered how the woman could still have tears left to cry. And finally Christian Olivier followed behind Minali, his head bowed and solemn.

"We should go," Hinton finally spoke. His voice was deep and full of heartbreak.

"We should," Laura replied quietly.

But neither moved. Both were sad in their own way, Laura realized. But what right did she have to be sad?

Laura watched as Picquery moved inside, following behind the Auror's. Graves started to follow her, but noticing Laura and Hinton in the car, he instead moved towards them.

"You can't sit here all night," Graves said. She heard him clear as day even though the window was up.

"We could try," she tried to joke.

"We just need a minute," Hinton said from beside her. "Please, Graves."

He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked side to side. Finally, he looked down at the window, staring at Laura. "A minute." He turned on his heel and walked back inside.

The two Auror's sat in silence for a minute, Laura still staring out the window.

"Do yourself a favor," Hinton said in a half-angry, half-sad tone, "don't fall in love with an Auror."

Laura looked over at him as he opened the door and stepped outside of the car. Her heart broke for him. Did Hitcher know that Hinton loved her? Did she feel the same way? Was that why they were both always angry?

With a heavy sigh, Laura opened the car door and got out. Her legs felt heavy. Her body felt heavy. As she walked inside MACUSA, she realized she didn't know where to go. Should she go back to the Major Investigation Department? The Auror's office?

As she headed for the Auror's office, almost on autopilot, Laura was happy to notice despite today's tragedy, headquarters was mostly empty. The people she walked past did a double take, but Laura ignored them.

Her feet moved almost of their own accord, following the familiar path back to her desk. Had it really only been a day since she last sat here? How could so much happen in such a short period of time?

She peeled off her Auror's coat and tossed it on top of her desk. Sitting at her desk, Laura looked around at the empty office. She wondered if all of the Auror's were called in. Did they know what had happened this morning? Did they know their Chief Auror was dead?

And just like that, the floodgates opened. With a horrible sob, Laura began to cry. Tears streamed down her face and down her neck. Her chest heaved with each sob, her lungs bearing the pain of crying.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there crying. Five minutes? Twenty? But she couldn't be alone forever. Eventually, someone would walk in on her.

Laura leaned over in her chair, her head buried in her arms on top of her legs. A new round of sobs racked through her body. The full body kind of sobs that only happened once in a blue moon.

She hadn't liked Hitcher too much, but she had trusted the woman. That was the important part. You didn't have to like the people you worked with, but you had to trust them. How could you not like someone but trust them? It was hard, but it was usual, Laura thought, with Auror's. In Laura's experience, there were two kinds of Aurors. The first were the ones with something to prove and something to hide. They were often the bitter ones, like Hitcher and Laura. They were hiding something. Something that made them want to be an Auror. The other were the ones who just wanted to do the job. They were often quiet, but smiley. Like Minali. They probably didn't have dark wizards in their family. They almost never saw friends go to the wrong side.

They didn't know what it was like to go on a raid and see someone you once loved, or thought you loved.

They didn't know what it was like to be running from a family you didn't choose.

Suddenly, something touched her left shoulder lightly. She went into fight mode.

Without thinking, Laura waved her hand towards the left and shot up from her chair. Her chair went skittering back across the floor, slamming into another Auror's desk.

She stood defensive, her wand appearing in her hand, pointed at the wizard she had just hit with a low force _Flipendo_.

Her heart sank when she realized it was Graves.

"Mr-Mr. Graves!" Laura began to stutter, putting her wand away. "I'm so sorry!"

The Director of Magical Security was picking himself up off the floor, the desk behind him slightly skewed from where he hit it.

She was fired for sure.

"Miss Maurette, surely there is a better way to react when you've been startled," he said in a slightly clipped tone, brushing the dust off his pants and straightening his now buttoned waistcoat.

"I-" she began to explain, but stopped when Graves held up his hand to silence her.

"But I understand the day you've had. So I'll forget this ever happened. Now, are you okay?" he asked, his tone softening.

She swallowed the heavy lump in her throat. Part of Laura wished he'd be mad. Yell at her. Be cruel. Anything but this soft, kind man he was playing today.

"I'll be fine," she finally answered. And it was true. One day, she'd be fine. It might take a week. Or a month. Who knows.

"Of course you will be. But are you okay right now?" he pressed, his eyes seemingly trying to penetrate the wall she had put up.

Laura ignored the question. Instead, she picked up her slightly damaged chair and putting it back under her desk. She stood behind it, her fingers gripping the top of the chair.

"Hinton said you were there," Graves pressed quietly.

The image flashed through her mind and Laura twitched slightly, her fingernails digging into the wooden chair. She took a deep breath and as she breathed out, Laura leaned over the chair, her eyes closed shut.

"Jerin. Heather. Acosta. John. Frankie. Dav-David," Laura whispered each name softly, her voice cracking with each name. Six people might not seem like a lot, but it was to her. Six dead people. Some family. Some friends. All dead.

She opened her eyes, staring at her leather coat that she had tossed on her desk.

"I don't know what it's like at Ilvermorny, but at Hogwarts, we arrive by train. The first years get taken across the lake in a boat and then do the sorting ceremony," she began. Sometimes, she found it helped calm her down to just talk, even about nothing. "Everyone else takes carriages. If you're lucky, you go the six year without knowing how the carriages move. But we're wizards, so you think magic." Laura turned her head to look at Graves. He was leaning against Mark Carneirus' desk, his arms crossed in front of him, watching her with a piqued curiosity. "But it isn't magic. Not the kind you'd think, anyhow. No, they're pulled by thestrals. D'ya know what a thestral is?"

Graves shook his head.

"A winged horse like creature. Only those who have seen death can see a thestral. And they ain't pretty, Mr. Graves," she explained. Laura looked back at her desk.

"Who? When?"

"Alabastor Jerin. The poor bloke with a terrible name. A Ravenclaw who lived but a block over from me. It was the summer of our fourth year. One day we were out at a park near the house, just playing around. And there were things going on for a while, you know? Too many dark wizards around. Me mum never warned me or anything because we thought we were safe. Family name we thought would protect us," she joked bitterly. "Jerin and I saw Mellark Crabbe and his little wannabe group come up to the park. So we hid, but they found Jerin." She paused, her voice cracking and her body shaking as she remembered that summer. "They didn't use magic to kill him so they couldn't be tracked by us, you know. They just…strangled him. Threw him away like he was nothing. I laid there in the bush for Merlin knows how long until they left and I could run home. Dad told me never to speak of it." Tears welled in her eyes. She could still see Jerin plain as day. His face white, his open eyes red. The image of his dead body still haunted her to this day.

"Did you ever tell anyone?" Graves asked in a quiet voice, suddenly beside her.

Laura jumped a bit, but stood up, coming to look at this throat. His tie had come loose just a little and his scorpion pins were missing.

"Eventually. I told Professor Dumbledore. And I wrote his parents a letter. Mellark was the first wizard I ever arrested," she confessed. "He's rotting in Azkaban, tormented by dementors, one hopes. But people like that, they don't really care though, do they?"

"No, they don't. Doesn't stop us from capturing them, however. In the end, I don't think it matters if they suffer or not, just that we stop them from doing it to anyone else," Graves answered softly. He placed a comforting hand on Laura's left shoulder again, this time, she didn't startle.

Laura closed her eyes, leaning into his small embrace. "I need to give my statement," she whispered.

"That you do. We'll stop by the bathroom and let you get cleaned up first. You do still have some blood on your face, after all. How about it, Laura?" he said, using her first name for the first time since she met him.

She had forgotten the cuts she had gotten. Laura nodded as she opened her eyes, looking up at her boss. Graves smiled down at her, a sight she had never seen before. His brown eyes twinkled almost. He looked far more handsome with a smile on his face than with the stoney expression he always wore. Graves gestured towards the front of the room.

With a deep breath, Laura began walking. Maybe she would be fine.


	11. In All Conscience

**Author's Note:** Sorry this took so long. I struggled with a part of this chapter (and hopefully it's not noticeable) and I went back to work on Monday, so I don't have much time to write. I will try very hard to put a chapter out a week (though I'd like to aim for 2 a week). I'm also working on a GoldGraves story, so that'll take up time too (and maybe I should work on my Scorpion fic, lol). Thank you all for reading!

 **Chapter 11- In All Conscience**

 _January 1924_

A New Year. A new beginning?

With Hitcher's passing, the line of command changed in the Auror's office. Limus was now the Chief Auror, with Carneirus taking his place as Captain of Auror's. Limus wasn't like Hitcher. He wasn't angry or bitter. He also smiled too much for Laura's liking. He was a pasty, skinny white man with a poor fashion sense. Edward Roche always joked that if Aliens were real, Limus was definitely one, and he was doing a bad job of blending in.

After a couple of weeks, and after the holidays, things were beginning to return to normal. Or, as normal as it could be in the Auror's office.

Laura was no longer relegated to just paperwork. Hinton and Laura were a real partnership now. Graves had been surprised when Laura asked him not to change her partner after all, but agreed. Hinton, though still angry and bitter, didn't seem to mind Laura too much anymore.

They had an understanding now.

Christmas with the Goldstein's had been just what Laura needed. A refreshing change of pace, the three women spent all day gossiping and giggling, forgetting about the horrors of the job.

January was a bitter cold, but Hinton and Laura had spent much of the month outside of New York. The more stakeouts and raids they went on, the more Graves trusted them with the more secretive cases.

Which brought them to this particular January evening. Instead of spending it in their respective warm homes, the pair were posing as husband and wife, in disguise, in northern California. Graves had sent them to the cold city of San Francisco to look for Gregor Favila. Wanted for the murder of a muggle, the wizard was last seen in downtown San Francisco.

This was officially the farthest west Laura had ever been. She wished she could enjoy it, but like most of her traveling, there was less of an emphasis on enjoying her time and more on finding the criminals they were after.

One day, she'd have to take a real holiday.

"Okay, ten dragots says Picquery and Graves have fucked," Hinton bet her. They were sitting at table in a nice restaurant near the wharf. They had requested a table by the window so they could watch the street, keeping an eye out for their target. Hinton was wearing a nice dinner suit while Laura had to wear a classy and quite beaded flapper dress. It was silver and she felt like the moon when she shimmied.

Laura grimaced, preferring not to think about her boss and the President in that way. She took a drag of her cigarette. "Boy I fucking hope not," she said, blowing out the smoke.

"They've known each other since Ilvermorny. She keeps giving him these promotions. She's probably seen his dick," Hinton kept going.

"The women in the office are always gossiping," Laura admitted. "It's the way he sits, you know? Hunter said only guys with big dicks sit like that. Of course then Olala asked him why he sits like that." She chuckled at the memory. She'd never seen Hunter blush so hard. "I bet you ten dragots that they've never fucked. I will agree that I bet she's seen his dick though. When? I don't know, but they got that look between them, don't they?"

"Do all of you ladies gossip about all of us men?" he questioned, fishing.

Laura laughed. "Hah, no. Sorry. Only Graves. Mostly Graves. He's got that something that the women like."

"And you?"

"And me what?"

"He does it for you?"

Laura made a face at Hinton, scrunching her nose up. "Don't fish for compliments, Hint. It's unbecoming."

"Ah, okay." Hinton turned to look out the window, a knowing smile on his face.

"Okay nothing. Graves is handsome, yes. But he is a jackass. So no, Hint old boy, he doesn't do it for me," she said a bit too forcibly.

Truth be told, she was still having sex dreams about Graves. Since Queenie hadn't said anything or reacted in any way, Laura figured she had hid it very well. She was doing well by not thinking about Graves like that while at work. At night though, when she would slip into bed in her nightie…

She took another drag of her cigarette.

"You should date this year," Hinton said out of nowhere, turning to look back at his partner.

Laura grimaced at him. Again.

"I mean it."

"Who am I going to date? I only spend time with other Auror's. And I live around a bunch of muggles," Laura complained, her head turning to look out of the window. The street was busy tonight.

Hinton grimaced at her use of muggle. "Miller Jackson in Wand Permit is single," he offered.

Laura rolled her neck as she turned to look at Hinton, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and disgust. "Don't. Be. Fucking. Stupid."

He leaned back in his chair, arms out. "What? Miller's a nice guy."

"In Wand Permit. And he's like 12!"

"He's 22. That's not that young. You're what, 25? And it's not like you're going to live forever. I also didn't say to marry him. Just date the guy."

Her eyes narrowed at Hinton, wishing she was a legilimens. "He told you he likes me, didn't he?" she finally asked.

Hinton shrugged.

"Oh, gross. That's the last time I go down to Wand Permit," Laura complained, stubbing out her cigarette as she looked back out the window.

"He's not that bad, is he?"

"I'm not looking," Laura said in a soft voice.

"It's a New Year. You've been here for half a year now. Have some fun," he told her.

She smiled brightly at him. "But I'm having fun with you," Laura joked.

Hinton shook his head disapprovingly. "Ten dragots say you have a date with someone by June."

"I'll take that bet. And you're gonna regret-" Laura stopped talking as she spotted a familiar face across the street. "Well, well, well."

Hinton looked outside casually. "So it is true."

"I do hope you're done with dinner, darling," Laura said.

Signaling for the waiter, Hinton chuckled. "I'm quite ready for a walk, my dear."

* * *

After quickly paying their bill, Hinton and Laura hurried out to follow behind Favila. With their combined transfiguration skills, the pair of Auror's had been able to change enough of their faces and hair to make them look like different people. All they needed to do was follow Favila, figure out where he was staying, and then get word back to Graves.

Tailing a mark was an art. You had to stay close enough to not lose them, but you couldn't be too close. Truth be told, Laura was not overly good at it. But it was easier when you had someone else with you.

Walking arm in arm like they did this every day, Laura and Hinton whispered to one another, smiling like a couple in love as they followed several feet behind Favila. The man moved at a leisurely pace, seemingly unbothered by the cold January air.

Laura pulled her thick wool coat closer around her with her free hand, hating the cold. Favila headed up one of the steep streets of San Francisco. As they walked, Laura wondered how on earth anyone could live here. It was too much of an angle for her.

After ten minutes, they were still following behind him, but the crowd was thinning. They couldn't risk following him for much longer without being caught, but they needed to know where he was going.

"I don't suppose you're good at the Disillusionment Charm," Hinton whispered.

"Unfortunately no. I could only ever master a couple of limbs at a time and not for very long," Laura replied.

"That's more than I ever got."

Hinton tugged her arm back slightly, signaling for the couple to slow down even further. They had turned onto a side, residential street and there were only four people between them and Favila. While Hinton kept his eyes on their target, Laura casually glanced around, pretending to be interested in the scenery.

In reality, something felt off. The further they got from the main roads, the more her skin crawled. And from the way Hinton held her arm close to his body, he must have felt the same way.

"We should-" Laura started to whisper to Hinton when suddenly Favila wheeled around, wand in hand, and shot something off at the pair.

She reacted on instinct. Unhooking her arm from his, Laura pushed him with her shoulder, shoving Hinton to one side while she flew to the other. She landed hard against a brick staircase, the air being violently pushed from her lungs.

Hinton recovered quicker than she did, barely touching the pavement of the street before he climbed to his feet, wand out to fire back at Favila.

Taking a brief second to catch her breath, Laura climbed to her feet and whipped her wand out just in time to see one of Favila's men take aim at Hinton.

" _Stupefy_!" Laura shouted, her wand pointed at the creeping criminal.

The charm hit its mark, square in the chest, and sent him back flying. Laura turned on her heel and disapparated.

A second later, she apparated a foot behind Favila. Without waiting, she quickly sent off _Expelliarmus_ , but Favila blocked it and fired off a spell at her. Laura blocked it and took a step back, watching as Hinton sent off his own spell at Favila.

The muggle murderer easily blocked that spell as well. As Laura prepared to send another charm towards Favila, something zoomed past her left side.

She started, spinning to find another wizard across the street, grinning devilishly at Laura. She could feel something dripping down her left arm, but ignored the white hot pain. It wasn't her wand arm, so it didn't matter at this point.

Laura growled, furious at herself for not noticing the third man. She fired off three spells in quick succession, the last being her rather angry _Stupefy Duo_. The last spell hit its mark, causing the man to go flying back. He hit the brick house behind him violently, dust curling out around him.

Turning again, Laura realized the street was quiet. Hinton was kneeling on the ground and Favila was gone.

"Larry!" she called out, rushing to her partner.

"I'm fine. But Favila disapparated. I don't think he's coming back," he said, grimacing through the pain of the wound on his sound.

Laura clicked her tongue disappointingly at the blood seeping through his dark suit.

"Well, fuck."


	12. Trois Vierges

**Chapter 12- Trois Vierges**

Word had been sent to Graves about the incident in San Francisco. Meanwhile, several San Francisco Auror's were arresting the two wizards that Laura had knocked out and were also setting about obliviating the few muggles who had seen too much. One Auror, Dougal MacLeod, had helped Laura and Hinton to a local hospital to be looked over.

The middle aged female healer had clicked her tongue in disapproval when Laura took off her coat and revealed the deep cut on her left shoulder that was still bleeding. As she worked, Laura had to bite her cheek to keep from crying out. Sometimes, she wondered if getting healed was more painful than getting injured.

"You Auror's are always a pain in our backsides," the healer commented as she finished up Laura's arm.

"You don't even know the half of it," Laura joked bitterly. "I did hit a brick staircase," she added. "My back-" Laura motioned to the right side of her back.

"Off with your clothes then," she ordered, stepping back.

Laura grimaced, but stood from the bed and did as she was told. Getting her dress off was easy, but she had needed the healer's help to undo her damaged corset. Laura was surprised to see a small tear in the back of her corset. She apparently had hit the brick quite hard.

The healer clicked her tongue again. Laura lifted her arm and looked down at her back. A nasty bruise had begun to form above her hip.

"I guess I hit it harder than I thought," she commented.

The healer pressed on her back and Laura let out a hiss. "Ouch."

"Auror's," the healer said in annoyed tone. She had Laura sit again, which she was grateful for.

Laura looked away, choosing to focus on her now damaged corset that lay on the table on the other side of the room, along with her dress. That dress alone had cost her a full day's wages, while the corset was just an old one she had owned for years. Still, there was something odd about seeing them damaged. Like it was an odd reminder of just who she was and what she was doing.

"Any other pain, dear?" the healer asked as she worked on her back.

"Just my ego, one supposes."

"Auror's with egos are the ones I treat the most, you know."

She had nothing to say with that. Her first Auror trainer, Emma Greene, had warned her that Auror's with egos were often the ones that ended up dead. Sure, the best Auror could still die, but those with egos didn't last long.

There was a fine line between an ego and confidence.

When the healer was done, she helped Laura dress again. Laura was not surprised she was stiff and still in pain. From experience, she knew it would still be a few days before she felt 100% again.

"Thank you," Laura said as they left the room.

The healer gave her a look, one of half-pity and half-gratitude. Laura couldn't blame her. It must be an odd thing to treat people who are constantly putting their lives in danger. And for what?

Life went on.

Evil went on.

"You alright then, lass?" Dougal MacLeod asked as Laura headed down a hallway.

"Fine as I'll ever be," she answered, pulling her coat around her.

Dougal MacLeod was an interesting bloke. A deep, heavy voice that spoke of years of smoking and drinking hard liquor, the man was also very obviously Scottish. Laura found it interesting that a Scottish man was out in San Francisco, but she was an English woman working in New York City.

"I hear the Director isn't too thrilled," he said as they walked side by side to the lobby.

"He almost never is," she said with a lopsided smile.

"I've only met the man once," he explained. "I had to go to New York for a case. He was just a green Auror back then. Wasn't too bad. He could be mistaken for English, with his curt attitude you know."

Laura laughed, trying to picture a young Percival Graves. "No, he's quite American from what I've seen. We English, we're not curt. We're just practical in our responses."

Dougal shook his head, smiling. "Practical is not what I'd call the English, but fair enough."

Hinton was waiting in the lobby with Limus. Laura frowned at seeing their Chief Auror all the way out in San Francisco. Limus looked up from Hinton as the two Aurors walked into the room and he frowned back at Laura.

"Miss Maurette, the Director wants you back in New York immediately to address some concerns," he said, heading for her.

"Concerns? Like what?" she asked warily.

"Not here and not now," Limus warned her, his voice dipping low.

Laura took a small step back, surprise registering on her face. Did Graves blame her? She looked behind Limus at Hinton. Her partner was staring down at the floor, ignoring her.

"Auror Maurette has been injured quiet badly, from what I hear," Dougal interrupted. "It wouldn't be wise for her to travel so soon after."

Limus' frown deepened. He looked between Laura and Dougal.

"You wouldn't want an Auror to get splinched on your shift, would you, Chief?" Dougal pressed. He eyed Limus carefully.

Laura could see the wheels turning in Limus' head. He had orders, but he also couldn't risk Laura's life in such a way.

"In the morning, you'll return to New York. Is that clear?" Limus ordered.

She nodded. "In the morning."

Limus gave her one last look that she couldn't quite read and then he turned on his heel and was gone. Laura briefly wondered if he would attempt to apparate all the way back to New York, then decided she didn't care.

Turning to Dougal, she smiled softly. "Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

Dougal shrugged. "Just delaying the inevitable, I suppose. If the Director really has it out for you, waiting a few hours won't change that."

Laura nodded and walked towards Hinton. "You ready to go to the hotel?" she asked carefully.

Hinton finally looked up at her, his eyes wide. "Yes. Of course. I'll see you there." He stood up quickly and disapparated, leaving behind a confused Laura.

She turned, mulling over just what was going on. Had Hinton said something to someone about the duel with Favila's men? Had he accused her of something?

"So, how about a drink then?" Dougal asked, smiling broadly.

Laura looked at him for a moment before she smiled back at him and nodded. "I think some firewhiskey would be lovely right now."

They apparated to the wizard hotel Laura and Hinton were staying at during their brief visit to San Francisco. The hotel had a small bar on the ground floor. The pair of Auror's took a table in the back corner and ordered their drinks.

"Why San Francisco?" Laura asked.

"Why New York?" Dougal countered.

Laura smirked at the man across the table. Dougal was older than probably even Graves. He had a heaviness to his face that wasn't shown in wrinkles, but was just a feeling that he seemed to carry in his eyes and his cheeks and his lips. Although quite attractive, his dark hair was going white and the white beard he wore made him look even older than he probably was. He had striking blue eyes that even now were staring at her with an intense curiosity. A hint of playfulness that most men never looked at her with.

"It's better than London," she answered.

Dougal laughed, a rough, yet hearty sound. "Most places are better than London, my dear."

"And San Francisco is better than what…Glasgow?" she questioned.

He tilted his head towards her. "Good guess. Yes, San Francisco is slightly better than Glasgow. Although I do miss the people."

The waitress brought their drinks, giving an extra wide smile to Dougal. Laura watched the exchange with interest, not missing how her fingers lingered under his slight touch. She quirked an eyebrow up at him after the waitress left.

"I guess you come here often," Laura joked.

"There aren't many wizard bars in San Francisco. In fact, this is only one of three. So yes, my dear, I do come here often. And yes, the staff are quite fond of me." He spoke with a twinkle in his eye, then took a sip of his firewhiskey.

She shook her head slightly and took a sip of her own drink. Firewhiskey was an acquired taste and after many hard nights in Auror training, Laura learned to love it.

"Is it nice being an Auror out here?" she asked after a brief silence.

Dougal nodded. "Not nearly as exciting as I imagine New York is, but I like that. I work, but I don't have to live through the drama quite as often as you lot."

She couldn't argue with that. "Did you ever work in New York?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I did my training at the Ministry of Magic and then was approved to transfer to MACUSA. Luckily for me, the Director at the time agreed that I should be on the West Coast. I've been in San Francisco ever since." He took another sip of drink, studying Laura closely, she noticed. "How long have you been in New York?"

"Since June," she answered, trying to be nonchalant.

"But you've clearly been out of school for years," he guessed, his eyes narrowing as he studied her even closer now.

Ah, the inevitable conversation. "I trained at the Ministry and then worked for them for a few years before I decided I didn't want to live in London anymore. America seemed like a good enough place to go. And it's not been so bad."

His stare softened. "Do you like New York?"

She shrugged. "It's a city. It's different from England, here in America. The division between muggles and wizards, it's off. And they don't have a Diagon Alley here. I live near muggles. Our shops are near muggles. I mean, for a people that want to be divided, it isn't really so, is it?"

He nodded. "That's true. I do miss Diagon Alley sometimes. But San Fran isn't so bad." He smiled at her.

She lowered her eyes from his stare and found her drink was empty. The warmth of the firewhiskey still filled her chest. She turned, looking for the clock as she wondered why time it was.

"It is getting late," Dougal said.

Laura looked back at him. "I do have to go back to New York in the morning, remember? I can't stay up all night drinking with you."

A knowing look crossed his face as he stared at her from across the table. The playfulness in his eyes was back, along with a slightly more seductive gaze. "Maybe we could stay up all night doing something else." His voice was even huskier than normal.

Her heart skipped a beat. Maybe it was just the firewhiskey. Or maybe it was a familiar longing in her chest.

Laura smiled at him. "Maybe not all night," she said with a wink. "Although you're welcome to try."


	13. Twin Flames

**Chapter 13- Twin Flames**

The morning came sooner than Laura would have liked. Although older, Dougal still had quite a lot of energy in him. When he said all night, he had really meant it.

They said their goodbyes and Dougal promised he would come visit.

"Take your time," Laura joked, "I'm going to need to recover first." She threw in a wink. "But not too long."

Hinton met Laura to floo back to New York, both Auror's dressed in suits, leather coats, and fedoras. She was happy to see that Hinton seemed better than he had the previous night. He gave her a small smile and motioned for her to step through the fireplace first.

As she began to take the step, her heart sped up. Laura hadn't forgotten what Limus had said to her.

 _The Director wants you back in New York immediately to address some concerns._

Laura took a deep breath, called out MACUSA and stepped through the fire. When she stepped through in the MACUSA lower lobby, Laura was surprised to see Queenie waiting for her.

"Laura!" she called out, rushing towards her.

The two women hugged tightly. Pulling away, Queenie linked arms with Laura and began leading her towards the lift.

"What are you doing here, Queens?" Laura asked quietly.

"I overheard Limus this morning and so I wanted to be the first one you saw," she said.

"Am I in trouble?" Laura asked.

Queenie shrugged lightly. "It's hard to tell. I didn't want to be too invasive, but Limus certainly wasn't happy that Favila got away. Mercy knows, but I was so worried about you," Queenie said, squeezing Laura's arm slightly. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

"I'm fine, Queens. I'll be sore for a few days, but I'm fine." Laura tried to hold her smile and blush back. _Don't think about last night,_ she ordered herself.

"Who's Dougal?" Queenie asked, frowning slightly.

A hot blush crept up Laura's neck. "Just an Auror in San Francisco," she managed to say.

"Hmm," Queenie muttered. Laura couldn't tell if the woman was happy or not, which was slightly worrisome for Laura.

"How's Tina?" Laura asked, changing the subject.

"Lovely, but worried about you." She pulled away as they reached the lift. "You should come over for supper tonight," she said. "If Dougal isn't coming over," she added with a wink.

Laura pursed her lips, stepping into the lift. "Of course I'll come over for supper." The gate shut in front of her. "It's going to be a while before Dougal comes to visit anyhow," she added before the lift went up.

Queenie laughed, waving as the lift started to move.

Allowing herself a small smile and chuckle, Laura tried to calm her nerves over meeting Graves. She knew she had done everything in her power to try to make last night's mission a success, but that didn't mean anything. If Graves decided she had not done enough, she could be demoted again.

And Laura wasn't sure she could take that again.

Leaving the lift, Laura made her way, casually, for Graves' office. As she got closer, Limus came out of his office. Seeing her, Limus frowned.

"I said in the _morning_ ," he snapped.

"It is morning, in San Francisco," she reminded him, stopping in her tracks.

Limus sighed loudly. "Graves is upstairs with President Picquery. Get started on your report and I'll let you know when he's back," he told her.

Laura nodded and headed into the Auror's office. Ignoring the looks of her fellow Auror's, Laura went straight for her desk. Before she sat, she gave Tina a pleasant smile. Tina, Laura noticed, seemed to relax at seeing her.

She took off her hat and coat and quickly got to work on her report. Laura wrote quickly, but carefully. Briefly noticing when Hinton came into the office and sat at his own desk, Laura kept working.

"Maurette, let's go!" Limus shouted from the front of the room, startling Laura.

She scowled as her hand knocked over her bottle of ink. Laura waved her hand and watched the ink go back into the well. Setting down her quill, Laura climbed to her feet and headed to the front of the office, trying not to glare at Limus too much.

He was sometimes too over the top. She remembered a time when he smiled too much. Since becoming Chief Auror, Limus had rarely cracked a smile.

Limus said nothing when Laura reached the front of the office, but simply turned on his heel and returned to his own office. She made a face at his retreating back, then composed herself and began heading for Graves' office.

Pausing outside of Graves' office, Laura took several deep breaths to calm her nerves. She had nothing to be worried about. She hadn't done anything wrong.

Letting out her last deep breath, she raised her hand and knocked. The door swung open.

"Please, come in," Graves called from behind his desk.

Laura entered and tried not to jump when the door shut behind her.

"Sit," he ordered in a soft tone, gesturing towards the chair in front of his desk. Laura was slightly surprised to see he wasn't wearing his suit jacket or even his waistcoat. Graves looked like he had been out on a case. His hair was not completely smoothed back, but a few pieces had come out. He had rolled up the sleeves of his crisp, white shirt to the middle of his forearms and even his tie was slightly pulled out.

"Sir, I'm writing my report and I'll have it for you by the end of the day," Laura said quickly as she stepped up to his desk, ignoring his order for her to sit.

"And I will await it, but that's not why you're here, Laura," he said kindly, gesturing towards the chair again.

Her heart skipped a beat at him using her first name again. Reluctantly, Laura sat down. "I did everything that I could," she said in a quiet, strained voice.

Graves' eyes narrowed, the wrinkles on his forehead scrunching together. "I have no doubt that you did, Laura. I didn't call you here because of that," he said. Graves leaned his forearms on his desk, staring in concern at Laura. "Auror MacLeod sent us word that you had been seriously injured. Are you okay?" he asked.

Her mouth went dry. "I-uh, what?"

"I heard you were hurt. That's why I sent Limus to make sure you were okay. Are you okay?" he asked again. There was a tone in his voice that Laura hadn't heard him use with her before.

She swallowed hard, utterly confused. "I-yeah, the healer did a good job. I'll be sore for a few days probably, but she did a good job putting me back together." Laura stared at him in confusion for a moment. "I'm sorry, but Limus said you had concerns," she said.

His eyebrows rose up. "Yes, concern for your wellbeing. Obviously."

Laura didn't know what to say. He wasn't concerned with her actions; he was concerned that she was injured.

"Oh," she finally managed to say.

He narrowed his eyes again. "What did you think Limus meant?" he asked.

"Limus said 'the Director wants you back in New York immediately to address some concerns'. That doesn't sound like you were concerned about my injuries," she said.

"No, it sounds like I want to fire you," he said, annoyed. Graves sat up, leaning back in his chair. " _Limus_ ," he muttered. Graves shook his head. "I never had reason to believe that you had done anything other than your best, Laura. MacLeod made it seem like you were quite injured and I was anxious to have you back in New York. Safe."

 _I was anxious to have you back in New York._

Laura shifted in her seat and looked down at the floor. She could feel the tears prickling at her eyes. Nobody had ever been anxious for her to return alive.

"It wasn't that bad," she muttered quietly.

"Laura?"

Unable to look up at him, Laura chewed on her bottom lip and continued to stare at the floor. She didn't know what to say. People never cared about her. They didn't worry if she didn't come home from a raid. They didn't care if she came back to work the next day.

"Laura, please," Graves pushed softly.

Taking a deep breath, she raised her eyes to look at her boss. Graves was staring at her with a deeply concerned expression, but there was no pity in his eyes. It made her heart hurt even more.

"People don't care if I come back," she whispered. She couldn't believe she was admitting this to her boss. To Tina and Queenie, it was fine. But Graves? He was her boss. She shouldn't say this. And yet, it felt so natural.

Graves pushed up from his chair and walked around his desk. He knelt in front of her chair, taking her hands in his. She was surprised to find his hands were incredibly soft. He stared up at her.

" _I_ do. I assume both Miss Goldstein's do. Probably even Hinton now. People here care, Laura. Don't forget that," he said in a soft, loving tone.

A tear trickled down her cheek and Graves reached up slowly to wipe it away. Laura's mouth opened in shock at the tender motion. His face was so close to hers, he could have kissed her if he so chose.

"I'm not used to it," she choked out.

"Get used to it because I'm not going anywhere," he joked. Graves patted her hands lightly and stood back up, leaning against his desk. "If you need to see a healer about your injuries, I recommend Patricia Claymore upstairs. She is a Godsend," he suggested, putting his hands in his pockets.

Laura smiled graciously. "My back is still a little sore, so maybe later." Laura pushed up from her chair, once again coming too close to Graves face. She stepped back around the chair. "Thank you," she said sincerely.

Graves dipped his head slightly. "Try not to forget it, Laura." Crossing his ankles, Graves chuckled. "Now get your report done," he added with a smile.

Laura nodded. She turned around and headed for the door. Like usual, her hand paused over the doorknob as her eyes landed on the familiar book spine.

"What is it?" Graves asked.

She didn't want to say, but Laura couldn't stop her mouth. "The Gentle Sway."

"It was my mother's favorite novel. I bought that copy for her birthday years ago," he said, walking up beside Laura. He stared into the cabinet case. "Does it bother you?"

Laura sighed. "It's just…there's a lot of emotions tied to that book for me."

"Bad? Good?"

"Both. Mostly bad these days, it feels like," she answered sadly. "It can be hard to let things go."

"Yes, it can."

Laura found, for the first time, she wanted to tell Graves everything. She wanted to tell him why seeing just the title could make her cry. Why she hated her family so much but wanted them back. Why she had really left London.

Instead, she grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door open. "I'll have my report for you by the end of the day."

"Good."

Laura was surprised to find that his tone now matched hers. Clearly, there was something about _The Gentle Sway_ that also made Graves pause. As she walked from his office, Laura gave him once last glance. He was still staring at the book, a faraway look on his face.

What a pair they were, brought to tears by a simple book title.


	14. Semblance of Liberty

**Chapter 14- Semblance of Liberty**

When she got home that evening, Laura considered sending Dougal a short letter to tell him that she hadn't gotten in trouble after all. But for some reason, she couldn't do it.

The quill was in her hand, the blank parchment lay on the table in front of her, the D was formed, but she could not bring herself to finish even his name. Who was Dougal to her anyhow? A one night stand? Would he really come visit?

She couldn't envision it.

Empty promises.

It's not as if it would be the first time anyhow.

A knock on the door brought Laura from her thoughts. She turned her head towards her front door. She stared at the wood door, pondering who it might be on the other side. She almost never got visitors and usually the Goldstein sisters would send word beforehand.

The person knocked again.

With a swipe of her hand, Laura disappeared her writing things. As she made her way to the door, she looked around the room to make sure nothing odd was out. With a deep breath, she pulled the door open a slight to look out.

"Sir?" she said, surprised. The man on the other side of the door was one of her muggle neighbors. She couldn't remember his name and blushed at her forgetfulness.

"Miss Laura, forgive my intrusion," he said, holding his hat to his chest. Taller than most men she knew, his head was just about at the top of her door frame. Stubble lined his face, which looked like he had put on weight since she last saw him.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, concern taking over. She opened the door wider. Most of her neighbors ignored her, as she did them. This man, she had spoken to on occasion. He was kind, but she was ever remindful of the archaic laws the American wizarding community had. As an Auror, she had to walk a line.

It seemed wrong to be so rude to someone so kind.

"I hate to seem intrusive, but while you were on your recent trip, I saw a man lurking outside your apartment," he told her.

Her eyes narrowed. Someone stalking her flat? Laura turned, looking into her living room as if something was waiting for her there.

"I normally wouldn't say nothing, Miss Laura, but it seemed queer," he added.

Laura turned back to him and smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Sir. Most would never say a word. You've not seen him in the building before, no?" she asked, her smile fading.

He shook his head. "No, Miss. Not before. But he came twice, at least. Maybe more, I don't know. I did have to work," he joked lightly.

"Thank you. I feel as if I owe you," she said.

He shook his head and took a small step back, dipping his head down. "No, you don't. A man warns a lady of trouble. That's what a man does."

She smiled at him. "Thank you, again. I will keep an eye out."

He nodded again and put his hat back on his head. Laura watched him begin to move towards the stairs at the end of the hall. She wondered what job he had. He spoke like a lower class muggle. The ones who had to bend the knee to so many above them. Was he poor? Had he grown up poor and now had money to live in an apartment on this busy street? He didn't speak like these other New Yorkers, so Laura wondered where he was from.

Why did she care all of a sudden?

 _James_.

His name was James.

"Thank you, James," she called out.

He stopped on the landing and turned back to her, a brilliant smile lighting up his face. He tipped his hat and then headed down the stairs. She wondered what floor he lived on.

Laura gave a quick look up and down the hallway and then pushed the door shut, locking it soundly. Someone lurking around a witches home was never a good sign.

Without a second thought, Laura waved her hand and magicked her writing things back on her table. She used the D and wrote a letter to the first person that came to her mind.

 _Director,_

 _I've been informed that someone was watching my place when I was away. Twice, at least, they showed up outside my flat._

 _I request a watch, if only for a week._

 _Laura_

She addressed the envelope to Graves, handed it off to her precious owl Penelope, and watched her fly away.

She sincerely doubted that Graves would attach an Auror to watch her home on so little evidence, but it didn't hurt to try.

Laura received no reply that night from her boss. She slipped into an uneasy sleep, her wand clutched in her hand, just in case.

The next morning, she headed for work, being careful to place an extra ward on her flat, just in case. She ran into Tina in the lobby.

"Good morning, Teen," Laura greeted her.

"Good morning! How are you feeling?" Tina asked as they stepped into the lift.

"Fine. A little sore, but fine."

"Hinton said you continue to amaze," Minali said suddenly from behind them.

Laura blushed slightly. She was just doing her job.

"He's the one that dueled Favila," Laura said. "That's more impressive."

The two women hummed slightly, smiling knowingly at their coworker. Laura tried to ignore them. Compliments were an odd thing. Everyone wanted them, right? Everyone wanted to be loved. To be admired.

But receiving compliments was another thing. She was so unused to compliments that when she did get them, half of the time Laura didn't believe the person. The other half, she just wanted to curl into a ball and disappear.

She could appreciate the compliment coming from Minali, but it was still odd.

As they headed into the Auror's office, Minali still smiling knowingly, Laura wondered if she should go speak to Graves. She decided against it. The trio of women headed for their desks and began their work for the day.

Graves came in later for the morning meeting and then left again, not even looking at Laura. She feared he hadn't even gotten her owl last night. Or maybe he was annoyed that she had bothered him with someone so minuscule.

He had been very nice to her lately, but maybe he could just as quickly swing the other way. Laura tried not to think of it as she worked. There was the voice in the back of her head telling her someone was stalking her flat while she was here, writing reports and doing research on dark wizards.

Before she knew it, the end of the day came. And went. Laura said goodbye to the other Auror's, but she stayed behind.

How silly.

Just the other day she dueled with dark wizards and today she was almost afraid to go home. Laura stuck her nose into the stack of papers on her desk, trying to focus on something else.

"Laura?" Graves called from the front of the room.

She shot up in her chair. "What?"

Graves headed towards her, his winter coat and scarf hanging over his left arm. "Why are you still here?"

She tried to shrug nonchalantly. "Just caught up in work."

The look he gave her made her shrink slightly. He knew she was lying.

"Go home, Laura. It's late. Whatever you're working on can wait until the morning."

"Catching dark wizards is important work, Graves. I don't think I have to tell you that," she joked. Laura tried to smile convincingly, but Graves continued to give her his patented "I don't believe you and I wish I wasn't here" look. "But I guess I can go home," she relented.

"Good. Now come on," he ordered in a soft tone.

Laura sighed heavily, but pushed herself up from her chair. She put her coat on and grabbed her hat before following Graves out of the office. They silently walked towards the lift and then rode it to the lobby. As they headed towards the door, Graves pulled on his coat and scarf. Outside in the cold, Laura put her hat on and pulled her coat closer around her.

"What's really going on?" he asked as they headed for the alley.

"I was just working, Graves. Come on. Like Auror's don't stay late," she said.

"Certainly, but today wasn't exactly one of those days Laura." He lightly grabbed her arm and stood in front of her. "I thought we had reached an understanding."

Laura avoided his eyes for a moment. It seemed silly to admit she was scared. "I'm just…worried," she admitted.

"About your possible stalker?" he pressed.

She looked up at him. So that confirmed it, he had gotten her owl. "Yeah."

Graves smiled softly, his hand falling from her arm. "Don't worry, I've got an Auror keeping an eye on your building. We can add wards if that would help."

Some of her worry dissipated. And there was a flutter in her stomach. He cared. "I put some up before I left," she told him.

He nodded. "I figured you would. Look, don't worry. Besides, if there's any Auror I know that can protect themselves, it's you."

She found herself standing a little taller. "I know you're right." She stepped back. "See you tomorrow."

Graves nodded again. "Get some sleep."

Before disapparating away, Laura gave her boss a smile. He cared and he complimented her. As she apparated into the alley by her flat, she couldn't stop the large smile that exploded on her face. Nor the familiar feeling between her legs.


	15. Safeguard to Paradise

**Chapter 15- Safeguard to Paradise**

It was a little easier for Laura to sleep at night knowing there was an Auror keeping an eye on her place, but not by much. She slept, night after night, with her wand clutched tightly in her hand and on edge.

Laura went to work each morning and did her job, though she wanted to find out who was stalking her and why. Was it a dark wizard? Some nobody muggle on the street who saw her once? One of those Second Salemers?

It unnerved Laura when she didn't know things.

Graves was seemingly nonplussed about it. He hadn't spoken to Laura about her potential stalker since admitting he had assigned an Auror to watch her place.

Laura also wondered who it was. She had tried to look at night, but she never saw anyone familiar. Whoever it was, they were good at hiding, which she appreciated.

After a week, Laura was fed up not knowing anything. She wished there was some sort of spell she could cast that would tell her when someone came near her apartment building. She felt trapped in her own home, while also feeling like going anywhere near her home was dangerous.

As her weekend began, Laura prepared herself for bed. She had gotten used to sleeping in her day clothes, instead of her sleeping clothes. She kept her wand clutched in her hand, just in case. It was truly becoming a new limb for her. Ever the Auror, Laura was ready to flee or fight at a moment's notice. Before heading to her bedroom, Laura put up another ward, just in case.

She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her closed bedroom door. This whole thing wasn't new to Laura, unfortunately.

After she ran away from home, the night she returned home from Hogwarts after graduating, Laura found it hard to sleep. With help from a couple of her Hogwarts professors, she was able to get a flat near the Ministry of Magic. Even though her professors assured her that her family would never know, but Laura spent many nights sitting on her bed, wand in her hand, watching the front door.

The fear then was bigger than it was now. It unnerved her that somebody was possibly stalking her. But there was a growing fear in her that connected to the fear she felt in London all those years ago.

What if these two events were connected? What if her stalker was someone she knew in London? Her family and their friends had found her in London. It wouldn't surprise her to find out that they had found her again.

Laura sighed and fell back on her bed, her eyes moving from the door to her ceiling. She wondered, as her eyes grew heavy, if she'd ever be able to live without looking over her shoulder.

Her breathing steadied and her body relaxed. Laura tried to think of something nice. Something pleasant.

The first thing that came to her mind was Graves.

Percival Graves still plagued her. It wasn't as bad as it had been, but from time to time, Laura found herself watching him at work. There was no denying that the man could wear a suit. She was sure he looked good in anything.

No longer the gruff, rude man who had hired her, Graves was now a gruff, kind man that clearly cared about all of his Auror's. Seven months into it, Laura was starting to see the real man. He took his job as Director very seriously and sometimes that meant he was too coarse with people, but it also meant he could be the kindest man in the building.

It was a weird juxtaposition.

She wondered what Graves was like at home. Did he always wear his 10-piece suit? She liked to imagine that he had very simple pajamas that weren't flashy or exotic. Just simple cotton. He probably didn't even wear a shirt at night. Just drawstring cotton bottoms. Bottoms that hung erotically low off his hips.

Her left hand moved to her stomach and lazily moved up and down, her fingertips brushing against the fabric of her sleep clothes. She pictured her boss lying in his own bed at night, mirroring her movements. She wondered if he liked to work himself up first before he ever got to his cock.

As her hand moved lower down her body, Laura's eyes flew open.

Her ears strained. She thought she had heard something outside of her bedroom.

"Laura?" a deep, familiar Scottish voice called out.

She shot up in her bed, wand in front of her.

"Dougal?" she whispered to herself, utterly confused. Keeping her wand in her hand, Laura stood up from her bed and slowly opened her bedroom door, half expecting the man to be outside the door. But he wasn't there.

"You awake, love?" he called out.

Laura walked out to her living room and found Dougal's familiar face sticking out of her fireplace. She relaxed slightly, her wand falling to her side.

"I am now," she joked, walking over to her fireplace.

"Sorry to wake you, but I wanted to check in. I forgot that you're a few hours ahead," he explained.

Laura stared down at the Scottish Auror. "Its fine, I generally don't sleep well anyhow."

"I remember. I take it Graves didn't fire you?"

She shook her head and knelt down in front of the fireplace. "He-," she paused, not sure she should tell Dougal the real reason Graves wanted her back in New York. She smiled softly. "He wasn't as upset as Limus made it seem," she finally said. "It's all fine."

"That's good."

Laura stared at Dougal, her eyes washing over every line in his face. "Do you want to come over?" she asked.

A large smile broke out on Dougal's face. "I thought you'd never ask."

Standing and moving back, Laura waved her wand to bring down a ward on her fireplace to allow Dougal to step through. His head disappeared back from the fireplace and a moment later, a flash of green brought forth the man himself. Once he came through, dusting himself off, Laura made sure to set a new, hopefully stronger, ward on her fireplace.

"What's with the wards?" Dougal asked.

Laura shrugged. "I'm an Auror. Gotta stay safe, hmm?" she said, not quite lying but not quite telling the truth.

Dougal seemed to accept her answer because he smiled and then stepped towards her. He lightly cupped the back of her head and gently set his lips upon hers.

As the kiss furthered and grew more fevered with desire, Laura couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She could feel eyes on her. She pulled away, smiling at Dougal. She waved her wand at the window, shutting the blinds, set her wand on the coffee table, and then led Dougal by the hand back to her bedroom.


	16. Tear Down Your Walls

**Chapter 16- Tear Down Your Walls**

Morning came too quickly, but luckily for Laura, it was a Saturday. It had been a long time since Laura had slept in this late, although to be fair, they weren't exactly doing much sleeping.

Despite his age, which she had learned he was in his early 50s, Dougal had quite a lot of energy and a gentle touch. His light brown hair had just a touch of white at the temple, but otherwise, he didn't look 50. Even with the slight amount of extra weight he carried in his probably beer gut, Dougal was incredibly attractive.

And his gruff voice and Scottish accent didn't hurt a bit.

For two days, Laura enjoyed her weekend. She didn't think once about the possible stalker or about work. She simply enjoyed her time with Dougal. They talked about home, they talked about America. They discussed music and food and Quidditch. And they had long minutes and hours where they simply sat and held one another.

It was unlike anything Laura had ever experienced. Even at Hogwarts, she had never simply _existed_ with someone else. Friends, real friends, were hard to come by. Most of her Slytherin counterparts wanted to be her friend because of who her parents were and their connections to the rich part of the wizarding world. They didn't actually like her. After Hogwarts, she had work friends, but nobody she spent time with outside of the office. Mostly because she was still afraid of her parents finding her.

In New York, she had become good friends with Tina and Queenie. And yes, the ladies had spent quite a many night of simply chatting, but it was _different_ with Dougal.

Dougal made her smile.

And that was something virtually new to Laura.

She never expected to fall in love, get married, and have children. She still didn't expect to have children, but sitting on her couch with Dougal, listening to him tell a story from his time at Hogwarts, she could imagine spending her years with him. She could imagine them waking up and going to work together.

She could imagine loving him.

She _was_ falling in love with him.

Even better, it wasn't overly a terrifying thought for her.

Sunday night, Dougal said goodbye with a kiss and returned to San Francisco. After all, they both had to return to work on Monday morning.

Alone, Laura slept soundly and peacefully for the first time since her neighbor told her of the possible stalker. And without her wand clutched in her hand, expecting and waiting for the worst. In fact, it had been a long while since she had slept so well.

Come Monday morning, the young Auror dressed and headed for work, a bright smile on her face. Her smile grew, as she descended the stairs, upon seeing her neighbor James.

"Good morning," she greeted him.

He smiled back at her and held the front door of their building open for her, letting her walk through first. He was dressed in simply coveralls, different from the usual clothes she was used to seeing him in. He also didn't have his hat.

"How have you been, Miss?" he asked, following behind her.

"Busy, I'm afraid. And you?"

He dipped his head slightly at her. "Busy as well. Factory work is never easy," he answered. She observed that he had shaved since she last saw him. His face was clean and without the stubble, she could see the impressive and strong jaw and cheekbones he hid beneath his slightly chubby cheeks.

"But needed," she said gently. "And appreciated," she added. She may not be a muggle, but she had watched them closely here in New York. Most worked hard and without any appreciation from the upper classes. Laura felt for her neighbor.

"I am to understand your unwanted visitor has not returned?" he questioned as they reached the end of the block.

"No, not that I've seen. I do thank you for the warning, though. Whatever it was, it's nice to know something is going on," she told him.

James smiled softly and dipped his head once more. "Take care, Miss Laura."

"Be safe, James."

The two parted ways and Laura watched him walk away for a moment, wishing to know more of his story. But she reminded herself, once again, that a friendship with a muggle couldn't happen.

 _Stupid law_ , Laura thought as she continued up the street towards MACUSA. She didn't let the thought get her down, however. The smile and her upbeat attitude continued on her long trek to the office. Despite the bitter cold of January, Laura felt warm and giddy. It was a new feeling for her and she didn't want to lose it.

But she was very aware of what the work day might bring.

The Auror office was already busy as Laura headed for her desk. She gave Tina a quick smile before settling in for the morning. It didn't take long for Limus to address the office.

"Director Graves is out of town this morning," he informed them.

Laura couldn't help but share a quizzical look with Tina before looking back at Limus as he continued to speak. She wondered just what the Director was up to and what that would mean for the rest of the Aurors.

"We received word from the Florida office that a group of wanted dark wizards may have entered the United States through Miami. Graves will assign Aurors when he returns. Until then, continue your work as normal," Limus ordered.

Chewing on her bottom lip nervously, Laura pulled out her most recent file on Edward Henry Masterson and returned to her research. Masterson was a Canadian dark wizard that was allegedly behind a terribly deadly muggle attack in Vancouver. Word from the Canadian Ministry was that he was now in the U.S. So Graves assigned Laura to the case, while Hinton continued to work on the Favila case.

Hinton was still a bit cold towards Laura, but in a familiar way. Laura wrote it off as this was their first duel since Hitcher died. The poor man was probably just sad.

She didn't blame him.

Graves finally returned from his trip with a flurry just before lunch. He quickly passed by the Auror office, President Picquery at his side, while Limus, Carneirus, and a handful of other wizards followed behind them.

The office stopped, watching the gaggle of wizards that passed by, each one wondering just where their boss had been and what on earth was going on.

Laura had wished to speak to Grave about her stalker situation, but now she had feeling it wasn't going to happen today. Clearly, there were more important things going on.

"Mercy Lewis, what is going on?" Tina whispered, coming up beside Laura at her desk.

Laura shrugged, looking up at Tina. "Merlin only knows. It has to be big if the _President_ is coming to Graves' office."

Tina frowned. "Do you think it's-," her voice trailed off.

 _Grindelwald_.

The older woman looked back out of the office into the hallway, almost as if she expected Grindelwald to appear. "Could be. Could just be any number of dark wizards. He's not the only bad guy out there, ya know."

"I don't know which is more frightening," Tina whispered.

Laura shook her head. She didn't know either.

It was an hour before the Aurors saw Picquery leave Graves' office and head back upstairs. A moment later, Graves, Limus, and Carneirus came before the group of impatient Auror's. The room quieted and everyone sat at their desks while they waited for someone to speak.

Laura watched Graves carefully. He looked tired, but maintained his trademark stoney expression. Still, he looked older than his 40-something-years.

"Goldstein, Miller, Leegna, and Roche, you all will head for Miami this afternoon. You will be working with the Miami office in locating Robert Hansen and Rebecca Hansen-Moore, who are believed to be in the city. The reports suggest local wizards are hiding them, so you shoulder expect a great deal of resistance," Graves announced.

Again, Laura looked back at Tina. The younger woman had been on local raids and stakeouts, but nothing out of state yet. Tina, at 22, was still a relatively new Auror. She had been accepted into the Auror program at the age of 18 and completed her three years of training in 1923, just a few months before Laura joined MACUSA.

Tina looked terrified for a moment, but when the two women locked eyes and Laura smiled in encouragement, Tina smiled back.

"The rest of you, business as usual," Graves finished.

Laura looked back at Graves and found him looking at her. He didn't look angry or upset, but there was something in his eyes. She gulped nervously.

"Maurette, in my office for a moment, please," he said, almost surprised by himself.

She tried not to feel like a student being chided by the professor as she stood up from her desk and walked towards the front of the office. Graves waited for her, which was unusual. The closer she came to him, the more she could see how this morning must have taken its toll on the man. He had a five o'clock shadow, which was highly unusual for Graves. He liked to look immaculate, like the Director he was. His tie was askew and his scorpion tie pins were missing.

With a flourish of his hand, Graves indicated for Laura to walk towards his office. He trailed beside her, not saying a word. Laura stared at the ground in front of her as they walked in silence, unable to escape the feeling of her fellow Aurors watching her retreating back.

At his office, Graves stepped around her to open his door for her, ever the gentleman. Laura headed inside and waited while he shut the door. Instead for heading around his desk and taking his seat, he stood by the door, staring into the glass cabinet next to his door.

Laura watched him, her eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Sir?" she pressed.

"How old were you when you first read _The Gentle Sway_?" he asked in a quiet voice. Laura almost had to strain to hear him.

She thought for a moment. "I think I was 9 when I first read it, why?" she asked.

"I-," he stopped talking, his voice cracking.

"Graves, did something happen?" Laura asked, stepping towards him.

Graves turned back to her, his eyes heavy. "Can I trust you?"

She was almost offended by his question. "I would think that would be painfully obvious by now."

He shook his head, apologizing with his eyes. "Not like that. With the other Aurors. With-," he trailed off again, his hand motioning between them both.

"What, like friends? I would never betray your confidence, Graves. And not just because you're my boss. Whatever we are, there is trust there, for me at least," she told him softly. She wanted to touch him, to hug him. His big brown eyes were staring back at her, begging for some sort of human connection. Her mind was searching for the answer to whatever this was. What was going on?

"My mother is dying," he finally said. "She's sick and the healers can't save her." His voice was full of a deep sadness that was heartbreaking.

The words hit Laura like a bag of bricks. Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't that.

"Sir, I'm so sorry. That's horrible," she finally said. It felt lame. Not enough to comfort someone with a dying parent. She wondered why he would share the news with her of all people. Surely there were people he was closer to?

Was that why he was gone this morning? Was that why Picquery met with him in his own office?

He nodded and looked back to the bookcase. He had once told her that _The Gentle Sway_ had been his mother's favorite book.

"I know what you had to do to your mother, I know your family-," he started to say, but Laura stopped him.

"She was still my mother. It was heartbreaking, albeit in a different way," Laura said sadly. She didn't want him to verbalize just what she had to do. It was bad enough to think about it. Speaking the words somehow made it worse. Laura walked up behind Graves and gently touched his left arm. "I am so sorry, Graves. If there's anything I can do, I don't know, but if there is…," Laura trailed off.

"Your kindness is appreciated," he whispered.

"Perhaps," Laura began, "perhaps she'd like it if you read to her?" she suggested. "You said it was her favorite novel, yes?"

"My father died a few years back. He was an Auror. It was…," he trailed off and shook his head at his own rambling. "I think she'd like that, yes," he finally said in a stronger voice.

Laura stepped back as Graves opened the cabinet to pull the book out, letting her hand fall from his arm. He looked back at her and smiled.

"I appreciate this," he said.

She shook her head. "I didn't do anything, but if you need to sit in contemplative silence, I'm always free," she lightly joked with a half smile.

Graves smiled for the first time since he had asked her to his office. He walked towards his desk and Laura took that as her cue to leave. She turned to the door, but paused with her hand over the doorknob.

"It seems awful to bring this up," she began.

"You can speak to me about anything, Laura."

She spun on her heel, looking sheepish. "I wanted to speak to you about my possible stalker."

As he sat at his desk, his face changed ever so slightly. The sad heaviness of his mother's illness was gone and replaced with an almost uncaring look of disinterest. "Has something happened?" he asked in a neutral tone.

Laura paused slightly, but ignored it. He was undoubtedly under a lot of stress from multiple fronts. "The opposite. I've not seen a sign of anything. It may have been nothing to begin with."

"Would you like me to end the Aurors watch?" he asked, messing with papers on his desk and not looking up at her.

"I think that would be for the best. I don't want to waste their time for nothing. If I see something I'll let you know," she said.

Graves nodded. "Very well then. Return to your case, please, Laura."

She nodded even though she knew he wasn't looking at her. Scrunching up her face in slight confusion, Laura turned and left his office and headed back for her desk. She felt terrible that he couldn't focus solely on his mother. She wondered, as she completed her research, if he had siblings or if his mother had siblings to visit her in what may be her last days? Laura wished there was more she could do for her boss, but knew there wasn't anything she could do.

Her mother wasn't always an awful mother. Laura could remember moments of her childhood that were free and happy. It wasn't until she was 7 or 8 that things began to change. Before then, she had had a proper mother and father.

For a moment, she had been happy. But with the gently sway of the wind, her happiness came and went and left a broken, confused child behind.


	17. Beyond Belief

**Chapter 17- Beyond Belief**

 _December 5, 1926_

Laura dreaded to go back to work the next morning. Graves was too different. _Something_ was wrong.

It was days like these that Laura missed Tina. The women had slightly grown apart over the past year, but Laura knew she could go to the Goldstein sisters with anything at any time.

Which is why she was heading down to the Wand Permit office instead of heading straight for the Auror department.

The place was dark and dismal. Laura immediately felt horrible for Tina. Not only had she gotten the rotten edge of the stick on being demoted, but they placed in their dank pit that just bred depression. Laura ignored the few people in the office and headed straight for Tina's desk. Luckily, the woman had already arrived to work and was at her desk.

"Laura!" Tina called out, her face lighting up at seeing a familiar friend.

All of the old feelings came rushing forth in Laura. She had forgotten how much she missed Tina. The women crushed each other in a tight hug, holding on for what was probably socially too long, but Laura didn't care.

"Oh Teen, I can't believe they put you down _here_ ," Laura said dejectedly, looking around at the cluttered office. Stacks of papers sat on shelves and desks all around the large, yet somehow claustrophobic office space.

Tina shrugged and sat in her rickety wood chair behind her desk. Laura leaned against her desk and crossed her arms.

"It's fine," Tina said, her tone clearly saying it was not fine.

"It's not. Listen, have you been able to see Graves lately?" Laura asked. She knew Graves or Limus would throw a fit if she was late, so she unfortunately couldn't spend forever with Tina, as much as she might wish to. It was comforting to be with her old friend.

"Not much," Tina said, visibly deflating.

Laura instantly felt horrible for bringing this to her door. "I'm sorry, I just…I'm worried," she said.

Tina looked up at Laura, concerned. "In what way?"

Leaning closer, Laura said "he's not right. He's…mean again. And not in the way he was when I first started, you know? He's…cruel. You should have heard what he said last night and the way he said it. I don't get it."

A deep frown crossed Tina's face. "That doesn't sound like Graves at all. He values his Aurors," she said.

"I'm sorry to bring this to you, I just…Limus is Limus. Carnie might understand, but they'd just give me the 'you're jealous he isn't sleeping with you' crap that men always do."

Tina took Laura's hands in her own. "I believe you and I believe it's out of genuine concern. After all, if we can't trust our Director, whom can we trust? What do you think it is?" she asked.

"I don't know." She didn't. And that was why she wasn't going to Limus or Picquery. Her boss being mean wasn't good enough. But it was off. "He's been different since Europe," she added.

"What happened?"

"Same thing that always happens when we go up against Grindelwald's people, we die. They die. Nothing changes," she muttered.

Tina gave Laura's hands a reassuring squeeze. "It'll get better. It has to. Grindelwald will slip up and we'll catch him." Tina's face changed slightly. "You'll catch him," she added sadly.

"The demotion won't last forever, Teen. Picquery or Graves or someone will come to their senses. You're wasted down here," Laura said gently. Laura sighed heavily. "I better get back before too long."

The two women stood up and embraced deeply again.

"I'm sorry we haven't spoken enough lately," Laura whispered into Tina's hair. "I'm not very good at being a good friend."

Shaking her head, Tina pulled away. "I'm not any better. I got caught up in my own misery and forgot about others. Let's do lunch!" Tina suggested.

Laura smiled. "That would be perfect. With Queens."

With a smile and a nod, Laura turned and headed back towards the elevator. She pulled out her small pocket watch and was happy to notice it wasn't too far past 8. A large part of the office didn't even seem to make it in until 8:30 most days.

As she neared the large Auror office, Laura was already beginning to pull off her winter coat and hat. She hadn't even made into the office before Limus was bombarding her.

"Don't bother, Maurette," he said. "I'm afraid I got bad news for your winter plans." The older man stopped in front of her, holding out a piece of parchment. Her boss wouldn't meet her eyes, which told her she _really_ didn't want to read the parchment.

Laura cautiously took the paper and read it.

"Is this a joke?" she asked, looking up at the Chief Auror.

He shook his head, gulping visibly. "Straight from Graves himself."

Her stomach dropped and her heart stopped.

 _Aurors Leegna and Maurette are to leave for San Francisco immediately to begin an extended stakeout on three suspects, Thomas Greene, Emily Mortimer, and Julie Jones._

San Francisco. Extended.

Suddenly everything was moving at once and Laura couldn't contain her anger. Her fist curled around the parchment, crushing it in her hand.

"Where is _he_?" she snapped.

Limus blanched. "Downstairs with Picquery in Major Investigation-,"

Laura was already moving back towards the elevator before Limus finished his sentence.

"You shouldn't! You could get fired Laura!" he called after her, but Laura ignored him.

Some lines weren't meant to be crossed and Graves had just crossed one.

The entire elevator ride down, Laura was fuming, but she was trying somewhat to get her emotions under control. Her magic was bristling around her and that was a bad sign. She could yell at her boss, but she had to walk a fine line.

Even if Graves no longer did.

Luckily for Laura, only Graves and Picquery were in the Major Investigation Department room when she burst out of the elevator, making a beeline for her boss.

"Is this for real?" Laura said angrily, using her magic to throw the crumpled bit of parchment across the table at Graves.

"Miss Maurette! You _will_ behave yourself," Picquery admonished the young Auror.

Laura ignored her. "Are you serious?" she asked Graves again.

Graves smirked at her. "I don't understand your problem, Miss Maurette."

"I am _not_ going to San Francisco!" she snapped. Laura had to flex her hands to keep from shooting magic off. She was so utterly furious that he would consider sending her anywhere near the west coast. He knew what San Francisco meant to her.

"What is wrong with San Francisco?" Picquery asked.

Laura gritted her teeth, but finally acknowledged the President of MACUSA. "A past I'd rather forget." She turned to the President quickly enough to catch an interesting look on Picquery's face.

The older black woman was staring at Graves with…admiration? And then the look was gone and was replaced with her usual disinterested stare.

"You will go to San Francisco," Graves said, drawing her attention away from the President. "You will do your job."

"You don't even care who you hurt, do you?" Laura finally said, hating the way her voice cracked. "You tout this caring attitude towards your Aurors, but it's all a lie, innit? You use us. You used me with Cruxmore," she said sadly, watching him carefully. At the mention of Cruxmore, a questioning look crossed Graves' face. "You just use us how you see fit."

"Same as any department head, Miss Maurette. Everyone in this building is a means to an end," he said.

"You're not sending me to San Francisco for work, nothing important. Greene, Jones, and Mortimer are too small a fish for two of your top Aurors. You're getting rid of me," she said, unable to stop the tear that dropped down her cheek.

She knew it was the truth the moment she saw him. He was pushing her out of New York. Leegna too. The woman and Graves had been butting heads ever since he returned from Europe. Something had happened to him there. Something had changed him.

A fire burned in Graves eyes and he stepped around the table, stalking slowly towards Laura.

"And why would I want to get rid of you?" he questioned in a slow drawl.

He stopped in front of Laura, so close he could kiss her. She dropped her eyes from his face to his throat. How many times had they stood like this over three years? How many times had he…

"Because you have finally realized what it took my parents 18 years to understand," she said quietly. Laura took a step back and looked up to meet his stare. He stared at her with the confidence of a man who believed himself to be on top. He was wrong. "I will _not_ bend. And I will _not_ break."

Graves smirked. "Everyone breaks in the end, Miss Maurette."

He had meant it as a threat, she could tell. But instead, Laura smirked back.

"That goes for you too, Mr. Graves." With a wink, she turned on her heel and headed back towards the elevator. If he wanted her to go to San Francisco, she would. But not for a stakeout. Laura was going to find out just what the hell was going on Percival Graves.


	18. Nostalgia

**Chapter 18- Nostalgia**

 _April 1924_

After almost four months of almost constant happiness, Laura was beginning to get paranoid that something terrible was lurking around the corner. She tried to stay in the moment and enjoy the bliss of her life, but she wasn't used to being happy.

Work was steady. Graves had disappeared from time to time to tend to his mother and after a few weeks, the matriarch of the Graves family passed. Luckily, they hadn't had any major incidents in months, so Graves could focus on his family and himself. Slowly the Aurors were arresting some of Grindelwald's biggest followers in America. And most weekends, when she wasn't sent on a case, Dougal would visit.

They were becoming a generally official couple. Their situation wasn't ideal, given she was on the east coast and he was on the west coast, but they were making it work. During the week, they'd owl one another and spend most of their weekends together in New York. Dougal gave excuses for why he never invited her back to San Francisco and while she was slightly suspicious, she didn't push the issue. She just wanted to enjoy it while she could.

Her stalker, if she had had one, disappeared. At the very least, they weren't making trouble. And Laura preferred that.

But as spring came to New York, the warmer weather was bringing out the muggle criminals and also the wizarding criminals. Grindelwald was having a surge in Europe and so his followers grew more empowered even in the States.

Graves, Limus, and Carneirus were busy assigning cases and investigating new appearances by Grindelwald's followers. Probably working together to disrupt the Aurors as much as possible, the followers would pop up in cities all over the U.S., attack some muggles or wizards, and disappear.

Hinton and Laura had been assigned to finding Madame Miraforum. Miraforum, also known as Big Hands, had escaped from the New York Women's Penitentiary in March. She was sentenced to life for smuggling several Muggles and since getting out, it appears she had committed at least one muggle murder.

The pair had picked a corner of the office to huddle in to work on their case. With their papers spread across a table, they went through each page, trying to find something they could use to track Miraforum. She was a tough woman to track. Laura wasn't sure if it was that she had enough friends and family to hide her or if she was just good at hiding.

"This newest report says she was seen in Atlanta as early as last night," Hinton mumbled, his eyes running up and down the report in his hand.

Laura pursed her lips as she grimaced. She hate traveling out of New York for work, it had yet to really go right. But that was the bad part of their job, wasn't it? You didn't always catch the bad guys. You didn't always come home.

"Does she have any connection to Atlanta?" Laura asked, lazily thumbing through Miraforum's main file.

"Nothing that I remember," Hinton answered. "Could go either way, hmm? You don't think to look in Atlanta because she's got no connection, but she does tend to go places where she's got connections."

She sighed and leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms out. She looked up at the clock and was not surprised to see it was only 2 in the afternoon. Although it had felt like they had been working for twenty hours, they still had hours to go before the end of the day.

"Send an owl to the Atlanta office, see what they have heard, yeah?" Laura suggested.

"Best we can do without leaving New York," Hinton agreed, climbing to his feet.

Laura hung back and tidied the table as Hinton went to send an owl. She always tried to be organized and clean, a side effect of growing up under such strict parents, but when it came to her work, Laura often let papers go everywhere. And unfortunately, Hinton was worse.

"Laura, any update?" Limus asked, walking up to the table.

She gave him a quick grimace before continuing her cleanup. "Rumors Miraforum is in Atlanta, so we're trying to get in contact with the Atlanta office before we run off."

"Good, good. I suppose as long as she's not making a mess, it'll be okay to stay put," he commented, clearly unhappy that the pair had chosen not to go to Atlanta.

 _There it was,_ Laura thought. Limus was growing increasingly cynical, the longer he was Chief Auror. Of course, it didn't help that his cousin Eduardus "Pretty Face" Limus was off in Europe and Asia killing muggles. Laura could relate, so she tried not to take offense with Limus' short temper.

She glanced up at him and could see so many familiar thoughts on his face that she had seen on her own at times over the years. Laura offered him a small smile. Not a pity smile, but a "I've been where you are" smile.

To his credit, Limus visibly softened.

"Any word?" she whispered.

He shook his head. "Still running around Europe," he said sadly.

The two cousins had been raised on opposite sides of the country, so they hadn't spent too much time together, but that didn't make it any easier. And it certainly raised questions of the Limus family, including the Chief Auror. It was the same thing that Laura had gone through at the Ministry of Magic and at MACUSA, to a point.

No matter what you did, you'd always be judged for your family. Which was largely why Laura changed her name.

Patting the stack of papers into a neater stack, Laura could only frown. "You've got a good career here, Limus. People know you. They know what kind of person you are. Just keep on and we'll back you, whatever may come." She glanced up at him and was surprised to see him staring at her with an intense and slightly confused look. As if he hadn't expected her to back him so much. She shrugged lightly. "I've got a shit family too. We've got to stick together, eh?"

After a moment's pause, Limus smiled quite largely at Laura. "That we do." He walked away, his shoulders and head a little higher. The sight gave Laura a little lift as well.

With their large stack of papers, Laura headed back to her own desk. She passed by Tina's desk, where the younger woman was furiously thumbing through a thick stack of paperwork. The photo on the top caught Laura's eye, pulling her to a stop.

She recognized that curly blonde hair.

"Logan."

"Sorry, what?" Tina said, startled slightly.

Laura looked down at Tina with big eyes. "Don't tell me that Graves has you and Miller on Logan Crabbe's case?" she asked in a strained voice.

Tina stared up at Laura with concerned eyes. "Do you know him?" she asked.

Laura gulped nervously. Graves knew the story, which was probably why he didn't assign Laura the case. Deciding she could trust Tina, she leaned down. "Logan became a truly terrifying wizard after he left Hogwarts. He was the one that made me realize I couldn't live in England anymore. We dueled. I arrested him, but he escaped before they could get him to Azkaban."

Tina's eyes went wide as the information sunk in. Laura sighed heavily, frowning.

"We were once supposed to be married."


	19. Unleashed

**Chapter 19- Unleashed**

By Saturday morning, Tina and Jacob Miller were out of town on the Logan Crabbe case. Laura and Queenie were worried, but Friday afternoon, Graves had given personal assurance to Queenie that Tina was doing well and would be heading home over the weekend.

Dougal was busy on his own case so Laura was alone for the first weekend in a while. She wished she had a distraction because she was terrified about what might happen to the Aurors investigating Logan.

Laura hadn't been entirely truthful with Tina about Logan and she regretted it. The Aurors deserved to know as much as possible so they could come home safe.

But it was hard for Laura to admit it to even herself.

Logan Crabbe was the oldest son of Merlin and Eliza Crabbe, Laura's parent's best friends. Logan was a couple of years older than Laura, but his sister Temperance was the same age. Logan, Temperance, and eventually their two younger brothers Evertett and Hugh were all sorted into Slytherin, though Laura always thought Temperance would have done better in Ravenclaw. Unlike her brothers, Temperance had a calm demeanor and a smart head. She could show her claws, but preferred not to. While at Hogwarts, the two girls had spent a lot of time together. Laura would never have called Temperance her friend, but they were generally friendly with each other.

It was decided pretty early between the Crabbe's and Goyle's that Logan and Laura should marry after she finished at Hogwarts. Laura resigned herself to her fate at an early age.

Until Logan killed a muggle for the first time.

He was 18 and it was as Laura was heading home from Hogwarts for the Christmas break. That was when she decided she couldn't marry him and she couldn't stay around her family.

When Laura ran away from home, she heard rumors of how furious Logan was. Everyone in their circle knew they were supposed to be married that summer. Logan felt that Laura had embarrassed him and he wanted her to pay.

He was the reason she left London. The idea that he was in America wreaking havoc was terrifying.

Did he know she was here?

Unable to sit at home and twiddle her thumbs any longer, Laura headed into the city to go to her safe spot: the bookstore.

Laura had fallen behind on her reading because work was often so busy for her. She was so out of the loop and behind that she had no idea of what new books were coming out. Laura took her time going through the new release section on the ground floor before heading upstairs. Unaware of where her feet were taking her, Laura soon found herself in the Dark Arts section in the back corner of the third floor. The books weren't banned material, but some weren't really books an Auror should own.

Her fingers ran over the spines of the books as she strolled down the aisles. She could feel the magic through her fingertips; some of the books had a gentle electric tingle, while others were harsh and biting. Laura recognized too many of the books from her parents library. They weren't all bad books, but in the wrong hands, they could be.

"Laura?"

She spun on her heels, her hands retracting back to her body as if a child scolded for touching things she shouldn't.

"Mr-Mr. Graves!" she stuttered, recognizing her boss. Looking at him, you'd be hard pressed to tell he was on his day off. He was still wearing his trademark black suit with red trimming. She briefly wondered if he was working or was actually here on his day off. Yet again, she found herself picturing what he might wear when away from work.

He smirked at her reaction and tutted lightly. "What a guilty reaction."

She shrugged, her face falling into a frown that she couldn't quite stop. "Bad habit. I was always getting into places I shouldn't be, touching things I shouldn't be."

The smirk immediately fell from Graves' face and was replaced with a look of sheer regret. "I apologize, Laura. I should know better, especially with Logan being spotted in the US. Please forgive me." He stepped toward her, extending a hand in forgiveness.

Laura stared at his hand in confusion for a moment. "You don't have to apologize," she whispered.

"Yes, I do. I should be more sympathetic to what you've been through. You suffered and still you are here, doing the right thing. That cannot be said of so many who have been through similar."

She shook her head. "It's fine Mr. Graves. I'm not upset."

Graves crossed the space between them and gently placed his right hand on her shoulder. His touch burned her skin, even through her layers of clothes. She was amazed by how different his touch felt compared to Dougal or any other man that had touched her. Laura could feel the magic in his touch, as if he was trying to reassure her through his magic.

He looked her in the eyes, his gaze soft and warm like she had come to know from him. "I should have told you Logan was spotted in America. It was entirely unfair of me to not tell you. Rest assured, I will not let him harm you. Nothing we've uncovered speaks to him knowing you're in America or that you even work for MACUSA. I promise, Laura, you will be safe here."

Laura was stunned. She also realized she was incredibly aroused. Laura swallowed nervously and tried to smile. "I appreciate it, Mr. Graves. I know I'm as safe as I can be." She tried to ignore his hand on her shoulder, but his touch was still setting her on fire. She tried not to imagine what his touch would feel like on her face, caressing her cheek. "How is Tina?" she added quickly.

He smiled down at her. "Tina is fine. She and Jacob came home safely this morning. I've yet to go through their reports, but Tina said it was uneventful."

"Well that's good," Laura said.

As he moved his hand from her arm, he let his fingers linger over her shoulder, a light but meaningful touch. She instantly missed his touch as his arm moved back to his own body.

"What-, erm, what brings you to the bookstore on Saturday?" Laura asked, mentally willing herself to not jump into his touch. _Stay calm,_ she reminded herself.

Her boss shrugged lightly, stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets. "My niece is beginning at Ilvermorny this September. She's eager to begin reading her textbooks, a true Graves," he joked with a wink.

Laura smiled softly. The idea of Uncle Percival was a sight she'd like to see one day. He seemed a proud Uncle. "I ripped through my _Beginners Guide to Transfiguration_ months before I started at Hogwarts. I've always been fascinated by being able to change your appearance, for obvious reasons."

"Yes, I've seen your transfiguration marks. _Outstanding_ , I believe-"

As a familiar feeling of dread ran up Laura's spine, she began to tune her boss out. The bookstore was unusually quiet and she began to panic. Had it always been this quiet? No, there was always some sound. Someone talking, someone bounding up the stairs, moving books.

Ignoring Graves, Laura turned and headed down the aisle towards the open center of the bookstore. With a shaky hand, she reached out for the banister to look over. The moment her fingertips touched the wood, she ripped her hand back.

There was dark magic in the bookstore.

Dark magic that she knew all too well.

Laura turned on her heel, pulling out her wand as she did so, and with only seconds to spare, she hit Graves with a protecting spell that would cocoon him from what was boiling up through each floor of the bookstore. Fear and concern on her face, she could only watch as the spell hit Graves in the middle of his chest and began to envelop the confused man. Laura wanted to tell him, to explain it all, but there was no time.

Logan Crabbe was _here_. And he wasn't here to shop.

Graves flew back slowly down the aisle as the spell covered him head to toe. Laura watched as a multitude of emotions came and went on his face. The final being one she couldn't quite figure out, but could see some sort of gratitude or understanding.

She guided her boss safely to the floor before the mist enveloped her. It took only a second to knock her out. Her last thought was not of Logan, but of Percival Graves and the hope that he would take down the menace she could not.

Laura Maurette had no idea how much time had passed, but as she woke from her haze, dizzy and confused, she knew one thing for sure: if Graves didn't kill Logan, she would.

There was a buzzing in her ears and the bookstore wobbled around her. She knew the effects of this particular curse too well. It was her father's handmade invention and Logan had used it the day she arrested him. She knew how long it would last and what the effects were. The curse was good to use in a large area. It sent a mist throughout a building and the mist would knock people out, some longer than others for reasons her father couldn't figure out. Once awakened, the person would be groggy, unsettled, and unable to hear. As if a muggle bomb had gone off in their vicinity.

Stumbling to her feet, Laura looked around and didn't see Graves. And when she heard a shout and an explosion on one of the floors beneath her, Laura figured it was a good sign.

She _hoped_ it was a good sign.

Taking a moment to steady herself, Laura closed her eyes and tried to shake off the cobwebs. This wasn't her first time experiencing this curse. But she would handle it better than the last time.

Her father was unfortunately well versed in creating new curses. None of them, Laura knew, were good.

When she decided she was ready to enter whatever was happening on the ground floor, she took several steps back and then ran towards the banister, wand out. She grabbed the banister with her free hand, vaulted over, and then disapparated.

Laura was not often a dramatic person, but when it came to disapparating and apparating during a fight, she did learn towards the dramatic.

A little bit of fun in a terrible situation.

She apparated in the back of the ground floor, hoping for a chance to catch her breath and figure out where Graves was.

Unfortunately, she apparated right behind one of Logan's men. He heard her _pop_ and spun on his heels, clearly not expecting another person to fight.

Too close to use her wand comfortably, Laura settled on kneeing the man, whom she now recognized as Horus Jacoby, a schoolmate of Logan's, in his groin. As he groaned loudly, breathing a foul stench of whatever liquor he preferred, Laura awkwardly punched him with her left hand and as he crumpled to the floor in agony, kneed him in his face.

He wasn't knocked out, but dazed, so Laura quickly whispered " _Petrificus Totalus_ " and watched him fall to the ground, unable to move.

Skittering across the floor, the female Auror hid behind a mostly destroyed display. She glanced around quickly, taking note of the destroyed bookstore. She momentarily felt a pang in her heart for the tattered books, but then chastised herself for it.

There were more important things to be worried about.

She caught sight of Graves dueling Logan in a far corner of the bookstore. The shelves, though mostly destroyed by deflected spells, made it hard for either man to maneuver easily, but Graves certainly had an upper hand on Logan. The Director had been dueling dark wizards for decades.

Laura wanted to help Graves.

No, she wanted to _protect_ him.

Like a phantom pain, she could almost feel his hand on her shoulder again, his gentle touch, the way his fingers lingered on her shoulder as he pulled his hand back.

But there was also the fact that Laura knew exactly what Logan was capable of. She didn't want Graves to get hurt.

Her mind was running at a mile a minute, trying to figure out some way she could intervene that wouldn't get Graves hurt. Or mad at her.

"You stand no chance, mate!" Logan shouted out, taunting Graves. His upper crust posh accent belied his devious nature.

As Graves ducked behind another bookshelf, Laura saw her chance.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to taunt during a duel, Logan?" Laura yelled, poking her head up from her hiding place.

Logan's head swiveled around and as his eyes landed on hers, the anger seemed to burst from him at every angle. She always knew he hated her, but the anger radiating from him was a bit much.

" _Ellen_!" his voice was pure venom. If looks could kill, Laura would be dead on the ground.

"Surprise, asshole!" she shouted. Jumping up from her spot, she screamed " _Stupefy_!" as she pointed her wand at Logan.

He ducked out of the way and shot a spell her way, but Laura disapparated as soon as she had sent off her spell. She apparated behind Graves.

"Percival!" she whispered loudly as she apparated. He was bleeding from the back of his head.

"Laura!" he turned to her and grabbed her left shoulder quickly and gently. "You need to get out of here." He dropped his hand and yet again, she immediately missed the contact, even in the middle of a fight.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "It was my duty to arrest him and see him to Azkaban. I didn't do my job the way through last time, I will this time. I've dueled him before. I know what he's like."

Graves shook his head at her. "No, I'll take care of him. I don't want you getting hurt."

They both ducked as a spell hit above their heads, sending sparks down on top of them.

"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Logan sang gleefully.

"I don't want you getting hurt either," Laura whispered. "And you're already hurt, so I'll take this. Get backup."

" _You_ get backup!" he argued.

Laura was about to snipe back, but realized Logan was getting too close. She reached for Graves and having hold of his arm, disapparated to a different floor. She let him go and stepped away. "I'm not arguing about this. Logan is my responsibility."

Without waiting for Graves to argue, she disapparated again. Laura apparated into the middle of the ground floor. Logan whirled on his heel after hearing her _crack_ and immediately shot off a spell. Laura blocked it, sending it off to her right. She let off a _Stupefy_ , which Logan ducked easily.

"Where's your boyfriend?" Logan mocked.

Laura smirked. "Only you would be stupid enough to think I'm dating the Director of Magical Security."

Dancing out of the way of the _Expelliarmus_ that Laura shot off at him, Logan matched her smirk with one of his own. "I wasn't talking about Graves," he said in a low and knowing voice.

A chill went up her spine.

Did he know about Dougal?

Was Logan or one of his goons her stalker?

The chill was replaced by anger. Anger at everything Logan had ever done to anyone. Anger at her family. Anger at how everything had turned out. Laura sent spell after spell at Logan, smirking gleefully as he blocked and tried to get out of the way of each one.

But in her anger and narrow vision, she didn't see Horus coming up beside her. As Laura used her free hand to send a stack of books at Logan's face, she was hit in the right arm with an excruciating amount of pain. She left her feet and hit the ground, knocking into a display of books.

As the world faded from view, she thought she saw Graves heading down the stairs, his eyes wide with fear at her fallen body. Even in her pain and as she blacked out, Laura worried for Graves.


	20. Façade of Reality

**Author's Note: I'm back! Work has been kicking my butt lately, but now overtime is done and I'm just about done with my new novel, so I'll hopefully be able to update a bit more regularly. Thanks for sticking with me!**

 **Chapter 20- Façade of Reality**

She was used to the darkness. The darkness was an old friend.

But this darkness was different.

It enveloped her quickly before she could even think about herself. All Laura could think was…

 _Graves_.

The pain that came next was worse than any pain she had ever felt. It started in her upper right shoulder and traveled down to her fingertips. Even in the darkness, it was as if her arm was alight.

Was this death?

It couldn't be.

There was too much pain.

Too much thought.

Laura went over the events of that morning over and over again in the darkness, trying to figure out where she went wrong.

She kept coming to the same conclusion: she should have killed Logan when she had the chance.

 _Stupid morals._

But what had happened to Graves? The Director was a skilled fighter. Did he dispatch of Logan and Horus easily?

Or did they get him too?

She needed to wake up. She knew it. And yet…

There was a familiarity to the darkness that kept pulling her back in every time she thought she could wake.

But through the darkness there was a face calling her back.

Graves.

 _Percival_.

Laura had protected him from her father's spell. A nasty one that Gray Goyle had worked on and perfected while she was still a schoolgirl at Hogwarts. Her father was particularly good at spells. Dark spells. He often took bits from other spells and added them to his own creations to make dangerous new spells that no one knew how to combat.

Laura knew a few, but there was still so many she didn't know about.

She had been lucky to recognize the one that Logan used.

She hadn't hesitated to put Graves first.

Why was that?

If anything, she was the one best equipped to take on Logan. So why give up for Graves?

She had wanted to protect him. And she did, if only for a short period of time.

Laura had to wake up. She had to find out if Graves was okay.

Waking up was hard. The clearer her mind would get, the worse the pain in her body became. And so she would sink back into the darkness, wanting the pain gone. Then Graves' face would come back to her and she would fight through the darkness again.

Until finally, she woke with a horrendous scream.

The pain in her right arm was indescribable. In all of her years of being an Auror, she had never felt such a pain. Her shoulder felt as if someone had taken a hot poker and jammed it into her arm and left it there. From her elbow to her wrist, it was as if she was on fire, just burning and burning, her nerves lit and burning for eternity. Her hand felt as if someone was sticking needles into every inch of skin.

Laura wanted to go back to sleep. She wanted to forget this pain.

Pain blinded her. She twisted in the bed, trying to move, but someone grabbed her. She screamed and screamed until someone hit her with a spell.

And then she went into the darkness once more.

Again and again, Laura emerged from the darkness with a scream, only to be sent back to blissful slumber with little pain. Each time, she thought the pain was getting better, but it was still unbearable.

Eventually, after Merlin knows how long, Laura opened her eyes and didn't want to scream. She didn't need to scream. The pain was horrible, but better than it had been since before Horus had hit her with that spell, whatever it was. Likely, Laura figured, it was a new spell thought up by her father.

What a bastard he was.

Breathing hard, Laura's back lifted up from the bed as she tried to move. Her body ached, unused for a time. As her eyes adjusted to the brightness in the hospital room, she looked around.

Sitting in a chair next to her bed was Percival Graves.

Immaculately dressed as ever, he looked as if he had popped in from work for a moment.

Laura gently dropped back onto the bed, trying to ignore the stinging in her arm.

"Good afternoon, Laura," he greeted her in a soft tone. She could hear so much in his voice: respect, concern, and happiness.

"Director," she croaked out. Her voice was hoarse and dry from a distinct lack of water.

"How bad is the pain? Should I get the nurse?" he asked, leaning his arms on his knees.

"Manageable. Better than before. Still horrible," she answered in short bursts. The pain seemed to be traveling up her neck and into her head, settling behind her eyes.

"They don't know what spell was used, so it's been tough to treat it. The pain medication doesn't seem to work. Only knocking you out does," Graves explained.

She nodded lightly. "Sounds like my father's handiwork. I don't know which one it is, so I'm afraid I can't help." Laura groaned as pain pulsed through her arm. Her eyes fluttered shut as she tried to ignore the pain, biting her bottom lip.

Soft hands touched her forehead and left arm, as if trying to pull the pain from her body. Laura opened her eyes to stare up at Graves. Her boss was standing over her, gazing down at her with not pity, but strong concern. His brown eyes stared into hers.

"Just breathe," he ordered her in a soft voice.

Taking a deep breath while not looking away from Graves' eyes, Laura tried to push the pain from her mind. Slowly, she let her breath out and slowly, the pain rolled back.

After a moment, Graves stepped back, his hands dropping to his side. Laura immediately missed the contact, but said nothing.

"What happened to Logan and Horus?" she asked.

Graves was quiet as he sat back down in the chair. Laura could tell he was trying to figure out how to answer the question.

That wasn't good.

"I caught Horus," he finally answered.

Laura's heart sunk. Logan was still out there. He could still find her.

"You don't have to worry about Logan," Graves said.

"Why? Did you kill him?" she asked harshly.

Graves frowned at her.

"If he's out there free then I have to worry. Not just for myself. You've seen what he can do," she snapped. Laura sighed heavily and looked up at the ceiling. "I should have killed him when I had the chance."

"You're not your parents," Graves said. "No matter what Logan does, it's not your fault."

She turned her head to look at her boss, disbelief on her face. "Yes, it is. I've had plenty of chances to put my father and Logan away. What they do _is_ my fault."

The Director stood up from his chair and buttoned his coat, watching her carefully. "We cannot take the crimes of others upon ourselves, Laura." He began walking towards the door. "I'll get the nurse. Make sure you get plenty of rest."

He left the room, leaving Laura in painful silence.

Maybe he _was_ right.

But she couldn't let it go. Anyone that Logan hurt was on Laura for not doing what she should have. Once she was healthy enough, Laura would find Logan and she'd put him down for good.

It was the only way.


	21. Internal Warfare

**Author's Note:** **I'm back! My day job is done for the summer, it seems. And I finished my newest book, so that's a load off! I am so sorry it took so long, but I have worked so much overtime the last couple of months, I am too exhausted to write by the time I get home and my book had priority.**

 **But Chapter 21 is finally here and I won't take a month for Chapter 22, I promise! (and yes, I'll be back to my other FB story soon)**

 **Chapter 21- Internal Warfare**

It was another two weeks before Laura could leave the hospital. Every day, Tina and Queenie came to visit once Laura had woken up. Queenie told her all about the rumors that were running through MACUSA. Most speculated that Laura had lost her arm while some believed Laura was faking her injury.

She wished she was faking.

The pain was generally tolerable, though from time to time it was still excruciating. Her right arm was almost useless. No one could figure out what spell was used and Horas wasn't talking. So Laura was stuck.

Knowing her father as she did, she assumed that if there even was a counter curse, it was difficult to do.

Laura wanted to go back to work so bad. She was itching to sit at her desk and track down more dark wizards.

But Graves wouldn't allow it.

Not yet.

She couldn't prove herself field ready yet, but she also couldn't even do simple spells around her house. Laura worked and worked, using her left hand to do things such as move a paper across her desk or transfigure a cup. Things she learned at Hogwarts.

Thus far, Laura had made a right utter mess of her flat and most of her teacups were not enough cup, but something else, so she was quickly running out of cups.

After Graves visited her in the hospital, she didn't see him again. But Tina and Queenie visited her every day until she left. After that, they came by her flat whenever they could. She had yet to see Dougal. He had written to her a couple of times, but was making excuses for why he couldn't visit.

It wasn't helping her mood.

"It's useless!" Laura complained to Tina and Queenie one Saturday in the beginning of May. It had been almost two weeks since she left the hospital.

Both women tried to smile, but they failed at it. Laura loved them both, but they were bad at comforting others.

"It just takes time, Laura. You remember what it was like when you first used magic?" Queenie said, trying to help.

Laura huffed. "This is different. I can feel the magic coursing through me, but I can't do anything!"

Tina and Queenie exchanged a look.

"What's that for?" Laura asked, noticing the look between the sisters.

"Well," Tina began slowly.

"We're just worried, sugar," Queenie said. "You know what happens when magic gets repressed," Tina finished.

A darkness settled in Laura's living room. She did know what happened. Repressed magic was never a good thing. _Obscurials_. It was dangerous to repress your magic, whether by choice or circumstance.

As if on cue, a wave of static went through her hair. Laura shook her head, wishing it away and away it went.

"You'll get it back," Queenie said in a quiet voice, almost afraid of the magic in her. "You will."

Laura wished it was that easy. But she gave the sisters what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

They didn't look assured.

A few days later, Laura was able to lift a paper and move it across the room. A week later, she could mostly change a book into a cup. The cup tasted like paper, however. And had a leather exterior.

Eighteen days after leaving the hospital, Laura wrote to Graves to request the ability to return to work. He sent her an owl at the end of the day to tell her he'd think about it.

Laura wished she knew his home address so she could knock down his door and show him she could do enough work to warrant returning to her desk. Instead, she sent him an owl back telling him she'd be back at work the next day.

She hardly slept, worrying about returning to work, especially without permission. But she was going to do it.

She had to do it.

Laura was getting better at making a quill write for her. It was still a bit sloppy, but generally readable. Going back to work would help her get better, she was sure of it.

Unable to sleep, Laura climbed out of bed early and set about getting ready. She dressed carefully and precisely, choosing a nice outfit that was both confident and professional, yet still her. Getting dressed with only one hand was difficult, but Laura was learning. Doing her hair was even harder. Laura brushed it flat, wishing she could do something else. Her hair was growing, because of her repressed magic. It had gotten better since her magic was getting better with her left hand, but…still. It was almost to the nape of her neck, longer than she had had it in years.

Frowning at herself in the mirror, Laura shook her head at herself. Even her bangs were getting too long. Laura sighed and looked away.

As she headed into the kitchen to make tea, her right arm brushed the doorway and she cringed, pausing a moment to catch her breath.

She wished her arm was paralyzed. She wished she couldn't feel anything.

But she felt it all.

The pain was still constant. Easier to manage, so long as she didn't swipe a doorway, but still painful.

Taking a deep breath, Laura pushed on. While her water boiled, she took her pain pills. Magic didn't help. Potions didn't help. So far, only muggle medicine seemed to bring her relief, if only for a few hours.

She didn't want Graves to know that, however. She wasn't quite sure how anyone at MACUSA would react to her taking muggle medication.

Before she knew it, it was time to go. But she stayed rooted in her kitchen. Her tea was gone and her breakfast was eaten, but Laura couldn't move towards the door.

There was a dread in her chest. Her right arm hung useless at her side. She was beginning to get the slightest touch of movement in her fingers, but it wasn't enough.

She wasn't enough.

Not yet.

Laura sank down to the floor, sobs wracking her body as she let it out. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't. Why did she have to be born to Gray Goyle and Elladora Black? Why couldn't she have been born a Graves or a Potter or just a regular, kind family?

Why did _she_ have to suffer?

She sat on the floor of her kitchen for well over an hour, going between crying and sitting in silence. It had been an awful long time since Laura had last had a good cry.

It was, in fact, quite cathartic.

But also quite draining.

Laura lay back on the floor, staring up at the off white ceiling. She placed her Auror hat on her chest, crushing it to her body, wishing that it alone would give her her power back.

A knock on her door made Laura sit up straight. She stared through the living room to the door, trying to make herself see through the door.

The person knocked again.

Begrudgingly, Laura pushed herself up from the floor, dusting off her hat on her coat and setting it on the counter. After pulling her wand out and holding it in her left hand, she slowly made her way through her living room, curious as to who might be at her door at 9am on a Tuesday morning.

"Who is it?" she called out once she reached the door.

"Open the door, Laura," the voice called back. That voice.

 _His_ voice.

Putting her wand in her coat, Laura quickly opened the door and came face to face with Percival Graves. Laura gulped nervously.

"Sir," she greeted him, her eyes searching his face in concern.

"You're late," he said gruffly, pushing past her while avoiding her right arm.

Laura tried not to yelp as her boss entered her flat. _This is highly inappropriate,_ she thought to herself as she shut the door.

"I'm late?" she questioned. Laura leaned back against her door, trying to hide the lameness of her arm, but Graves was already staring at it.

He looked up at her eyes. "You said you were returning to work this morning. You were not at work this morning." It was simple statement, but she could hear the disappointment in his voice.

She gulped again. "I uh, I," she stumbled over her words, trying to find some answer that wouldn't make her look pathetic.

"You were struck by an unknown curse. That you're even alive is a miracle, Laura. You don't have to rush back," Graves said kindly.

Huffing, Laura shook her head. "You don't understand," she said, suddenly angry. She tried to push the anger down, but once it was up, it was up. It's ugly head rearing up to cause trouble. "You can't possibly understand." There was a strong bitterness to her voice.

"No, Laura, I don't," Graves said. He looked at her with such kindness.

It made her sick to her stomach.

"I have to go back," she whispered, pushing that anger back down. It was dangerous to combine anger with repressed magic. She didn't want to hurt Graves.

Graves crossed the short distance between them and began to reach his hand up, but dropped it back down. He smiled softly, trying to cover up his indecision. "You will. You _will_ , but if you rush it, you'll end your career. You know that."

She stared into his eyes, those beautiful brown eyes that were enticing her to disaster; those eyes that made her think such dirty thoughts.

The young woman shook her head again. "I'll be in tomorrow."

Final. Settled.

Graves cocked an eyebrow and nodded. "I'll expect you at 8am."

Final. Settled.

They stood there for a moment more, staring at each other, waiting. Waiting for what?

"Can I leave now?" he asked, motioning to the door behind her.

A blush crept up her neck. Laura moved away from the door, nodding. "Yes, of course. Apologies."

"8am, Laura," he told her again as he opened the door. He gave her one last look of meaning that Laura couldn't decipher and then left, shutting the door behind him.

She waited a few minutes before she sighed loudly and crumpled to her knees, this time in half excitement and half fury at herself.

After eating a second breakfast, Laura returned to her attempts of magic. With her determination, she managed to write her name quite neatly with her quill. And then she wrote Percival Graves' name.

And crossed it out.

Laura went to bed early, hoping to actually sleep. The next morning, she awoke and started a fresh new day, getting ready and setting herself to the task of actually walking out the door.

She didn't make it out of the kitchen again.

At 9:15am, Graves knocked on her door again. Again they spoke. Again she told him she'd be at work the next day.

"8am, Laura," he said before leaving, giving her an encouraging smile.

"8am, Graves," she answered, watching him go, knowing it was a lie.

They went through the same process day after day, with Laura making it a bit further each day. A week passed until finally, Laura left her flat. Once she was out the door, once she could smell fresh air, her feet kept moving until she found herself in front of the Woolworth Building. Looking up at the vast building, Laura smiled as she hadn't smiled in weeks.

 _This_ was home.

She entered the building and chose to take the stairs up to the office, relishing every step and ignoring all of the looks from her coworkers. This was where Laura was meant to be.

This was why she had suffered in her childhood, so she could work for the government and protect her people from her family and their friends. If she had to suffer to get to this place, then she would take it. Better her than someone else.

She could handle it.

She always had.

As she neared the Auror's office, Laura began to get nervous. Her footsteps slowed and she could feel beads of sweat forming on her forehead under her hat brim. She pulled off her hat, secretly wiping her brow as she went.

"Good morning, Laura," Graves said, sliding past her almost still figure in the hallway. He was looking at his watch as he passed her. He paused and looked back at her surprised face. "7:51am. I'm impressed." He gave her a slight wink and continued to his office.

She smiled in relief.

This is where she was meant to be.


	22. Indigo

**Author's Note:** **Hi again. Once again, I'd like to apologize for the huge gap in between chapters (and I am still intending on getting back to my Tina/Percival story). I finished my day job for the summer a couple of weeks ago, but unfortunately got bit by a wolf spider on my elbow and suffered a pretty bad allergic reaction. It took about a week and a half before I could really use my arm without wanting to cry. I'm finally back to my pre-bite self and so I am back to writing. I finished my last book and of course, I'm busy writing two at once (while trying to do this & my other FB fic, lol) now. But I will try to update a bit more regularly. And rest assured, I will finish this! I've got the story planned out, it's just a matter of writing it down. Thank you all for sticking around! I'm really, really pleased by the response I've gotten towards this and I can't thank you all enough!**

 **Chapter 22- Indigo**

Laura woke up in Dougal's arms with a start. Her arm was throbbing in pain. Pulling herself out of Dougal's light grip, Laura left the bed and headed for the kitchen to take more medication.

It had been almost two months since she had been attack. Her arm was getting better every day, but she still struggled with the pain and with movement. Laura could now move her fingers, though she was unable to hold anything with weight. The good news was she could do minor magic with her right arm again. Not much, but it was something.

Work was still hard. She hadn't left the office since she returned a month ago. Graves barely let her do anything. On one hand, Laura understood, but she was also incredibly frustrated. She wished Graves would push her; force her to work harder.

She was working as hard as she could, practicing with her wand. Laura had destroyed several bookcases and photo frames in her house trying to practice with her right hand, forcing her to call Tina to come fix things.

Everyone had been patient, up to a point.

Laura could see the looks her co-workers gave her, their eyes accusing her for using her injury to be lazy. The only one who gave her unconditional support was Tina.

"More pain, love?" Dougal said as he walked into the kitchen behind her.

Laura nodded. "Just a bit."

He leaned on the counter next to her, watching her try to mentally will the pain away as she waited for the muggle pills to work.

"Maybe you should stay home," he suggested in a quiet voice. "Take more time off of work."

She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "You know that's not possible. I've taken enough time as it is."

"You need time to get better."

Sighing, Laura shook her head. "I'm not going to get better. Not anytime soon. I just have to deal with it."

Dougal stood up, his face scrunched up in concern. "That's not a good attitude-"

She bristled, holding up her hand to silence him. "You don't understand. You can't possibly understand. _I know_ my father. _I know_ what he's capable of. I've seen it firsthand several times. If I can recover from this, it's going to take a long time. Maybe a year. He's got plenty of curses that take months or longer to heal from. The attitude I have is the best I can give it. I know what to expect."

Dougal frowned at her, but didn't say anything.

It had only been two weeks since he finally came to see her. Laura desperately wanted things to go back to the way they were, but it seemed like they both were always on edge, always snipping at one another.

They weren't fighting, but they weren't happy.

How could she be happy?

With a heavy, shoulder dropping sigh, Laura turned and headed back to the bedroom. She needed sleep as she had to go to work in the morning. Dougal didn't usually visit during the week, but this week he had made an exception, taking time off of work to come see her.

In an uncomfortable silence that spoke volumes to Laura, the pair returned to bed and tried to sleep. Luckily for Laura, she was able to get a few more hours of sleep before she had to get up and go back to the office.

While her colleagues were running around New York, keeping an eye on dark wizards, Laura was stuck at her desk, keeping track of reports that came in. It was the only thing she liked about the job, waiting for a sign that Logan or her father was in New York or even the U.S.

She knew that her father had recently been seen in Scotland while Logan was allegedly hiding out in Australia. Laura kept hoping they would come to New York. She needed to catch Logan. She needed to stop them.

"Any news?" someone said, standing over Laura.

She sat up quickly, accidently knocking some papers off her desk as she moved. "Uh, hey boss." Laura cleared her throat as she looked up at Graves.

Nearing the end of a long day, he had taken off his jacket and had unbuttoned his waistcoat. His tie was slightly undone and his scorpion tie pins were missing. It wasn't often that he was this unkempt at work, but the office was mostly empty, save for Limus, Laura, and Minali.

"Nothing new, really. There are reports that Logan's been seen in Australia," she informed him, bending over to pick up the papers that had flown off her desk.

"I meant about your arm, but that's good to know as well," he joked.

Laura felt her face flush as she was bent over. Clearing her throat again, she tried to shake the warm feeling in her face before sitting up straight.

"Healers think my arm is getting better. I can use my fingers better," she said, showing him as she lightly held the papers in her fingers. "Better day by day."

"That is good news, Laura." He stared down at her, concern replacing the smile on his face. "I imagine it's tough to sit here day after day, but when you're ready, you'll be back in the field. We can't rush it or we risk ruining your arm completely. I hope you understand I'm on your side."

Laura swallowed hard. Sometimes, she really missed means Graves. It was easier to hate him than to feel the tug in her heart.

She forced a smile. "I know." She frowned. "I know," she said in a quieter voice.

She did know. But that didn't make it any easier.

Graves looked like he wanted to say something to Laura, but didn't. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, quietly contemplating the situation. Unable to continue looking at her boss, Laura looked back at the stack of papers on her desk. Her fingertips grazed over the papers, feeling the magic that crackled in the tips.

"Hinton is out watching Michael Korzinski with Laverton. Take a look at the file, will you?" Graves finally spoke.

Without looking up at her boss, Laura nodded. She waited until she heard him begin to walk away and then she looked up at his retreating back.

Laura couldn't help but sight wistfully.

Dougal was a great guy, but his looks couldn't come close to Graves.

Shaking her head, Laura tried to go back to her work. She had no business thinking of her boss in such a way. Nothing would ever happen between them.

Getting up from her desk, Laura crossed the room to one of the many file cabinets that lined the walls to look for the file on Michael Korzinski. Laura knew very little about the man her former partner was chasing other than he was allegedly responsible for the death of two muggles out in Wisconsin.

Thumbing through the files, she finally found Korzinski's file and groaned internally. The file was thick. So thick that there were actually two folders.

How was there so much information on this guy?

If she pulled out the files with her left hand, then she'd have to shut the heavy drawer with her right. Not an easy feat. Her hand might generally work well, but she couldn't get much help from her upper arm. But it would be hard for her to hold the files with her right hand.

She gave a quick, casual look around the room. Limus was off in his own office, leaving only Minali at the front of the room.

Would the woman judge her if Laura dropped the files everywhere? If she dropped the files, she'd have a hell of a time picking them up.

Maybe she could hold the files with her right hand and magic the drawer close with her left?

Laura stared down at the drawer of files. She would get this done.

She _could_ do this.

With a deep breath, Laura reached in with both hands and pulled up the folders, relying on her left hand to do the brunt of the work. Once they were up, she held onto them fast with her right hand and pulled them to her chest, bracing it with her left hand for a moment. Slowly, she pulled her left hand away and was happy to find she was holding on.

Focusing intently, but not too hard, Laura flicked her wrist at the drawer and watched with joy as it closed easily and without trouble.

Laura turned on her heel in triumph, a huge smile on her face, and felt the folders begin to slip from her slack grip. She brought up her left hand to grab at the folders, but it was too late.

The two large files of information fell to the ground and splashed paperwork all over the floor.

"Fuck!" Laura screamed as she fell to her knees immediately and began trying to pull the papers towards her.

"Laura, are you okay?" Minali shouted from the front of the office, rushing back towards her.

"I'm fine. It's fine!" Laura shouted, looking up, but Minali was already there.

The woman looked down at the younger woman on the floor, surrounded by a mess of paperwork, a surprised look on her face. They stared at each other for a moment, Minali unsure of what to do.

"Its fine," Laura said, trying to hold back tears. She wouldn't cry over spilled paperwork.

No way.

"I once broke the President's beloved glass vase in her office," Minali suddenly said.

Laura's eyes went wide.

"She repaired it, but she still hasn't let me near her office since then," she added.

Unable to help it, Laura began to laugh. After a moment, Minali joined her. Still laughing, the senior Auror knelt down and began to help Laura pick up the mountain of paperwork.

Silence passed between the women as they worked quickly, just in case anyone else should wonder into the office.

Once the papers were in a generally neat stack, Minali helped Laura cart them back to her desk.

"I can help you rearrange them, if need be," the woman offered.

Laura smiled kindly, but shook her head. "I've got to go through it anyways."

With that, Minali gave a small smile, turned and headed back to her own work.

Sighing heavily, Laura sat down and began the arduous task before her. She hoped that one day, she would get better because right now, she felt utterly useless.

And Laura didn't like to feel useless.


	23. Resign to Surrender

**Author's Note:** **I'm back! Now that this chapter is out of the way, I'm hoping the next few will come a lot easier for me. I am going to be busy with work over the next couple of weeks, but I'm hoping to be able to write on the weekend and get Chapter 24 to y'all soon!**

 **Chapter 23- Resign to Surrender**

Once Laura regained movement in her fingers, her recovery went quicker. By the end of June she was able to hold stacks of papers with no issues. Another week and she gripped her wand with confidence she hadn't known in months.

By mid-July Laura was on track to her old self. The pain was still there, but she understood it would likely be a part of her life for months, if not years to come. Maybe the pain would never completely go away.

She accepted it, _bitterly_.

What else could she do?

So Laura went on with her job, slowly working her way back up. And then that magical day came.

"Maurette and Hinton, Graves wants to see you in his office!" Limus announced from the front of the room.

Laura jumped, startled at the sound of her name. She hadn't been in Graves' office in a long time and even longer since she had been there with someone else. It was usually just her and Graves.

She liked those times.

She took a deep breath and pushed up from her desk; Hinton was already on the move, having given Laura a brief look before he left the room. Laura tried to ignore the looks of the few Aurors in the office, but she could feel their eyes stuck on her. They all had noticed she was gaining use of her arm again.

Her footsteps echoed loudly down the empty hallway as if she was marching herself to her doom. Outside of the familiar office, Laura gave herself a shake.

 _Get it together,_ she told herself firmly.

And then she pushed through.

Graves was sitting quietly at his desk, files spread across his usually clean desk. Hinton was standing in front of the desk, his back straight and eyes up. Laura shut the door behind her and took her spot next to Hinton, though far more relaxed than her partner.

"Korzinski is back in town and there's a plot, I'm told, to kill more muggles. So I want you two to go and get him. Is that clear?" Graves asked without looking up.

Laura cast a glance at Hinton and found her partner gazing at her with a curious look. He didn't trust her to go out yet and not for someone as dangerous as Korzinski.

"Crystal, sir," Laura answered, looking back at her boss.

"Do you think you'll need backup for Korzinski, Hinton?" Graves asked, looking up at the senior Auror.

Hinton gulped, unable to meet his boss' stare, and finally shook his head. "No, sir."

"Then get to it," Graves ordered, waving them off. He gave Laura a lingering stare that she hoped meant _good luck_.

Laura turned quickly on her feet and was the first in the hallway. Once Hinton was out and the door was shut, he turned on her.

"You better be ready, Laura," he growled, not in an angry way.

She steeled herself. "I am. I promise. I wouldn't go if I didn't think I couldn't handle myself. I've been practicing in the workout rooms. I'm ready," she told him, trying to sound sure of herself.

Hinton seemed to accept it. He let out a deep breath and nodded. "Then let's go and get this over with."

As they collected their gear and double checked the location, Laura tried to keep the bad thoughts out of her head. She couldn't afford to think negatively. She had to remain positive.

The moment before Laura apparated away, a voice came to her head.

" _I imagine it's tough to sit here day after day, but when you're ready, you'll be back in the field. We can't rush it or we risk ruining your arm completely. I hope you understand I'm on your side."_

She remembered the way Graves said it; the softness that crept in with every word, the concern. He cared about her, in some way, however minor and it showed in his kind words.

If Graves believed in her, then it was enough.

She _was_ ready.

The report said that Korzinski had been seen just a few blocks from MACUSA headquarters, staying at a Wizard Hotel that was often used by visiting dignitaries. It was unsurprising to Hinton and Laura, in a manner, that someone had sent word to MACUSA. The hotel liked to keep things relatively clean so they could keep a higher clientele. People like Korzinski weren't overly welcome there.

Especially not with the likes of Gellert Grindelwald on the rise.

With their stupid Auror coats and hats on, Hinton and Laura strolled through the front doors of the Hotel Phoenix, their eyes roaming over every inch of the expansive lobby, looking for any sign of Korzinski or any of his friends.

They walked up to the front desk where they were greeted by a smiley blonde woman.

"Good afternoon Aurors, how can I help you?" she asked.

"We're here looking for a Michael Korzinski. We have reason to believe he has booked a room here," Hinton said, pulling out a photo of the suspect.

The woman nodded, never losing her smile, and checked the registry, scanning the list of names. "Sorry, no Michael Korzinski listed."

"And the photo?" Laura pushed.

The woman looked up at Laura, almost surprised, but still that stupid smile was on her face. "Sorry, I don't recognize him."

Laura could feel her patience wearing thin, but she forced a smile. "Can we speak to your manager?"

"Well, of course!" the woman said. She waved her wand and sent off a patronus.

Laura turned to Hinton and gave him a knowing look. He merely shrugged. She sighed and leaned on her elbows on the front counter, waiting for the manager. He arrived a moment later, looking just as smiley as his employee.

"And how can I be of help to two Aurors?" he asked in a gratingly cheery voice.

Laura figured she was too used to just being around Aurors and other MACUSA employees, so overly cheery people were fucking annoying. She hadn't really spent much time outside of the office or her home. Another thing she had to get used to again.

"We're looking for Michael Korzinski," Hinton told him, holding up the photo.

"Oh yes, Mr. Korzinski. I'm afraid we asked him to leave about thirty minutes ago," the manager said.

Laura gritted her teeth, but forced another smile. "Any idea of where he might have gone?" she asked.

The manager shrugged, frowning slightly. "Sorry, I can't be of any help on that end. Apologies."

The Aurors nodded, turned, and left the lobby, grumbling as they went.

"Of course it comes in too late for us to anything about it," Hinton grumbled.

"They probably sent word as they were kicking him out," Laura said.

"Indeed." They paused on the sidewalk, looking around. "Let's hit the shopping street before we head back to the office empty handed," Hinton suggested.

Laura nodded and followed Hinton down the street. One of the wizarding shopping streets was just a few blocks away from the hotel. It reminded Laura of Diagon Alley in England, though slightly more upscale. And yet there were still plenty of dark wizards roaming around.

Once out of the eyes of muggles and in the safety of their fellow wizards, life seemed to change around them. The street was alive with magic. The world came alive in a way that it only could with wizards.

Stopping briefly, Laura took a deep breath and unconsciously found herself flexing her wand hand. While her magic was now under control, every now and again, she could still feel the spark of magic from her fingertips like she might lose control at any moment.

"You good, Maurette?" Hinton asked her quietly.

Laura's eyes shot open in surprise. "Yes, I just…I haven't been to a wizarding street since the bookstore," she admitted.

Hinton's eyes narrowed slightly, trying to read her. Then he softened visibly. "It's been three months…"

Laura shrugged. "I've had other things on my mind, yeah." Which wasn't a lie. She also was, in some sense, slightly worried about being out in wizarding public again. While her father and his kind weren't necessarily afraid of doing things in the muggle world, they tended to keep their damage to wizarding buildings. The likelihood of running into Logan or anyone from her family was slim, but there was still a voice in the back of her head.

"You can't hide forever, Laura, you know that. But…I get it," he said. With a nod of his head towards the busy part of the street, he began walking and Laura followed in step. He glanced over at Laura quickly before starting to look at the shops around them. "How…how bad are some of your fathers spells?" he asked in a whisper.

Laura shuddered involuntarily.

"He's obsessed with the Unforgivable Curses; with Slytherin," Laura trailed off for a moment. "With Grindelwald."

"But you're not? Even growing up around him?" he questioned in a kind, but curious tone.

She shook her head. "I had good friends when I was young, it helped. And it just never made sense to me. All of that anger…all of that hate…for what? I know it's weird. I never really had love and yet that's what I run to. _Love_."

The partners paused in the middle of the street as Hinton slightly nudged Laura's arm. He stared down at Laura, a kind of concern that she hadn't seen from him in his eyes. "I had you pegged wrong this whole time, Laura. I really…I thought you were like your family, in some way."

Laura frowned, but shrugged. "Everyone thinks so, I'm not surprised. Her eyes roamed over the stores to the left of her while Hinton looked to the right of him. Most of the shoppers were giving them a wide berth, recognizing them as Auror's.

Hinton smiled and nudged her forward again, encouraging her to continue their patrol of the street. "Not Graves. He's taken a liking to you, for some reason. He did hate you at first though. I don't know if you heard the rumors," he started to say.

"That he only hired me because Picquery made him?" she finished.

He nodded, chuckling. "It's true, Graves as much admitted it."

"He told you?"

"No," he answered, shaking his head. "I overheard him and Picquery arguing about it the day before you started. He was furious that she was making him hire you. He thought that you were like your family and that you were just attempting to infiltrate MACUSA. I don't know if it was one even that changed his mind, or just over time, but he clearly feels differently about you.

"He was furious after you got injured," Hinton explained as they walked. "I'm still not sure if he was angrier at himself or Crabbe for what happened."

Laura felt that familiar lift in her heart at the sound of Graves caring about her. After his initial visit to the hospital, he didn't come visit her again. She had wondered why, but to hear that he was upset the whole time, it did ease her concerns slightly.

"Has he always been so back and forth?" she asked, looking over at him.

"Graves? Yeah, I suppose. I started working for him about three months after he became Director. He was cold a lot more often then, but he's always been like this. More so when Picquery comes around, like she brings out the worst-"

Hinton was interrupted by a spell whizzing past his head. They both ducked down and whirled around, pulling out their wands from their pockets.

Laura looked around for their attacker and spotted Michael Korzinski hiding in front of a store. Laura raised her wand arm and shot off a spell, but she could feel how weakly it came out of her wand. Before she could do anything else, a spell hit her square in the chest. She flew back several feet and felt her wand fly out of her hand. Laura hit the cobblestone ground hard, her breath rushing from her lungs before her head smacked off the ground.

She could hear a fight going on and so Laura pushed off the ground and called for her wand. Laura knelt on the rough cobblestone as her wand hit her hand and her fingers curled around the base. Hinton was still on his feet, battling with Korzinski and another man that Laura didn't recognize and hadn't spotted earlier.

As Laura leapt up from the ground, she sent off several spells toward the unknown man, who had failed to notice Laura getting up. One of the spells flew past his head, but the other hit him in his left shoulder, causing him to stumble back into a display for the store behind him. She called for his wand so that he wouldn't be able to attack her again.

But as Laura turned her attention to Hinton and Korzinski, she realized she was too late. Korzinski had already hit Hinton with a spell and her partner was sailing through the air, already unconscious. Laura didn't wait, she hit Korzinski with a _Stupefy_ and quickly followed it up with a _Petrificus Totalus_.

Fighting for a positive memory, Laura could only think of Graves as she sent off a Patronus to MACUSA for backup. Hurrying to Hinton's side, Laura touched him gently. He was still warm.

"Please be okay," she whispered.


	24. Force of the Shore

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the long wait, I was a lot busier and more mentally drained from my promotion than I expected. But I have the week off and I have already started on Chapter 25, so I am going to get it out before the end of the week, I promise!

And for those still holding on to this slow burn, we're only a handful of chapters away from the good stuff! Fingers crossed I can write a good chapter ;)

Thank you all for the wonderful and kind words you've been giving me. I am so, so unbelievably appreciative of it!

 **Chapter 24- Force of the Shore**

Hinton was not okay. He had been hit with a spell in his left shoulder and jaw. The force of the hit gave him a nasty blow to his head. By the time he had gotten to the healers, he was already in pretty bad shape.

And so was Laura.

She was wracked with guilt, even though nobody blamed her.

If only they hadn't been distracted, chatting about Graves. If only her wand had not fallen from her grip. If only she had reacted quicker. If only she had been ready.

How could she be so stupid?

When Graves arrived at the hospital, he didn't say a word to Laura. He spoke with the healers and Limus before leaving.

Limus, it was fair to say, was furious with Laura. She had never seen him so angry at anyone. He took her into an empty room, charmed it so no one outside could hear, and then began railing on her.

She didn't blame him.

Laura had severely dropped the ball in several ways. She sat through debriefing after debriefing until Graves, Limus, and Carneirus were satisfied and then Laura took a leave of absence. Outside of asking a few questions, Graves hadn't spoken a word to Laura. Part of her didn't want him to.

After a week, Hinton left the hospital and went on a medical leave, preferring to take a couple of weeks off. His head, he told Laura after one of his own meetings with Graves over the day's events, was still a little fuzzy at times.

Laura locked herself away in her flat, wishing she could disappear forever.

If Hinton had permanent damage, she would never forgive herself for letting her concentration lapse.

They had lost focus of why they were out there. Laura had become too focused on Graves, looking for every miniscule interaction, forgetting that she was with Dougal and that she was here to do a very important job.

She needed to get her head back in the game.

Staying away from Graves for a week or so seemed like a good idea.

It was a month before Laura slinked back to MACUSA. Hinton had already returned, though he remained on desk duty due to recurring headaches. They didn't impact his work too much, but nobody was willing to risk anything. And he was fine with that.

Nobody seemed to notice she returned, besides Hinton and Tina. Everyone else ignored her.

And she preferred that.

Better than the stares she had expected.

She couldn't help it, but her mind forms possibility after possibility of Graves sending for her. What would he say when he sees she has returned to work? Nothing? Something?

Laura tried to push the ever present thoughts of her boss from her mind so she could focus on her work. The morning ticked on with Aurors coming and going with their work, while only Hinton and Laura remained at their desks. The voices and noises around her faded and Laura was finally able to concentrate on her research of various dark wizards and witches.

The day was almost over when Carneirus made his way up to Laura's desk and interrupted her work.

"You got a lot done today," he commented, staring at the stack of notes on her desk.

Laura shrugged. "It was quieter than usual."

Carneirus smiled, a welcome sight for Laura. "Graves wants a word before you leave. Make it sooner, rather than later. You know he doesn't like to stay as long as some of us," he joked.

Laura nodded. "I'm on my way." She watched Caerneirus walk away before she set her quill down. Given her last few "conversations" with Graves, this could go either way.

Laura wished she could go back before that fight with Logan. Back before she got hurt. Back before she saw Graves in the bookstore.

When she closed her eyes, she could still recount every second of their conversation. The looks in his eyes when he teased her, to the guilt, to the soft compassion she still wasn't quite used to seeing in his beautiful eyes.

With a shake of her head, Laura pushed up from her desk. She might as well get this over with.

The walk to his office seemed as long as ever. Laura could still remember that first visit to his office, when she came for her initial interview. He was so…cold and so distant, she had probably only spent ten minutes in her interview before he sent her away. She had been certain she wasn't getting the job.

The year had come and gone so quickly and yet so much had happened.

What would the next year bring?

Laura knocked on the door and it swung open.

"Come in," Graves called from inside, his voice more gravelly than she remembered.

She entered the office and was met with an unexpected smell, _lavender_. Laura closed the door behind her and was surprised to see several candles floating around the room, livening up the room as never before.

"Sir?" she questioned, unable to keep the smile away that crept across her face. She had always loved lavender candles. They always managed to set her at ease, even in her worst times.

"Excuse the candles, Laura. Somebody decided to set off quite a nasty smelling prank right outside of my door and the scent permeated my room. Lavender seems to be covering it up. Sit, please," he said, gesturing to the chair in the front of the desk.

Laura took her seat, finally taking a moment to look at Graves. Bathed in the candle light, he looked more handsome than ever. The touch of grey at his temples, his thick black eyebrows, and his luscious lips looked better than Laura had ever seen him.

She took a deep breath.

"I'm glad you've decided to return to work," Graves began as he started writing on a blank piece of parchment in front of him.

Laura felt her stomach sink as she waited for the insult.

"Some of the work ethic in the office has been lacking with your absence. I guess I don't frighten the Aurors anymore." Graves managed a little smirk, showing his playfulness. "Picquery thinks a change is in order."

"What kind of change?" Laura asked in a quiet voice, almost fearful of what the President might have in mind.

"She wants me to get tougher on the Aurors. She also wants me to bring in a couple of Aurors from other cities that are known for being tough and no nonsense."

"Will you?"

Graves stopped his writing and looked up at her. "Is it wrong to expect better of my Aurors?"

"Well, no-no, of course not. I just mean…"

"You're wondering what she wants me to do with _you_." Graves set his quill down and leaned back in his chair, one hand trailing lazily across his lips while his other hand fell to his hip unseen. His eyes focused in on her, his brows slightly knit as he studied her reaction.

Laura shrugged, but held his gaze.

"Seraphina is slightly disappointed with the turn of events, but I reminded her of the bravery you showed the day you saved my life."

Laura felt the heat build in her cheeks. Graves was openly speaking of her bravery with the President?

It was her fault that Logan was free. Her fault that her father was still out there to make his dangerous spells. Her fault that she was so focused on Graves staring at in that insatiable way that she didn't notice the quiet sooner.

Her fault that Hinton got injured.

 _Her fault_.

"We all make mistakes. Sometimes, our mistakes are more deadly than others, but we hope to never make _that_ mistake. Hinton may be fine. He may not. But he is alive and grateful to be so. You need to reclaim your confidence. You are a great Auror, Laura," Graves leaned on his desk, never blinking, holding Laura's stare still. "Find your confidence and we can all move on from these past few months."

How could he be so sure of her? How could he be so on her side?

Why did Graves care so much?

"I need to capture Logan. I need-" Laura let out a choking sob, unaware that she was so close to tears.

"You will." Graves said with confidence. "Maybe not this month or the next, but when Logan Crabbe is caught, it'll be you handing him in. _That_ , I know."


	25. Chasing the Dragon

**Chapter 25- Chasing the Dragon**

 _December 1926_

Minali was pacing their shared hotel room, fuming as Laura had never seen. Minali was very good at keeping calm, a trait that Laura admired.

But calm Minali was gone and replaced with a woman that could bring down the worst dark wizard, if need be.

"He just tosses us aside like a bad problem. And Picquery does nothing!" Minali grumbled.

"She was proud of him, I think," Laura said quietly, sitting on the edge of one of the beds. "She used to like me, I thought. Maybe not?"

"There's something wrong with both of them," Minali snapped, still pacing.

"He was fine before Europe, wasn't he?"

"He thinks he can just toss me aside? After everything I've done for him? For MACUSA?"

"I know losing the Aurors in Europe was tough, but it doesn't explain his behavior," Laura mused, her chin leaning on her hand.

"And why would he need to get rid of us? Just for disagreeing with his surly attitude? What a pompous prick."

Laura looked up at Minali, realizing that both women were talking to themselves. She smiled, but the smile faded quickly.

"How are we supposed to find out what's going on from San Francisco?" Laura asked loudly, interrupting Minali's stream of consciousness.

The older Auror stopped pacing and looked at Laura. "How indeed?"

The two women stared at each for a moment and then a sly smile slowly crept across Minali's face.

"Oh, you know what we need?"

Laura shrugged. They needed a lot of things, mainly answers.

"We need a friend."

Laura blanched and stood up from the bed, shaking her head. "No, no way!"

"Come on, Laura, please! This is important! We need to pretend we're still here in San Francisco, working, but really head back to New York to investigate. We need someone on the inside to cover for us, just in case."

Laura shook her head even harder, her hair swatting her in the face. "No way. There is no way I'm even going to try to ask!" She stood up from the bed and walked over to the window, looking out onto downtown San Francisco. What Minali was suggesting…

There was just no way.

"I'm _not_ going down that road, Minali," Laura huffed. She turned back to look at the Auror. "He has no reason to help."

"He has _every_ reason to help, Laura. I don't have to remind you of what happened. I don't have to remind you that _you_ could have ruined him. He should help us." Minali lifted her chin. "He _will_ help us."

"Not to help _him_." Laura crossed her arms. It made her so uncomfortable to talk about this subject. She didn't even realize Minali knew. Did everyone back in New York know?

How did she come to have so many secrets?

"It's not really helping him, though, is it? We may just very well be bringing Graves down. I'd imagine he'd probably like to help achieve that?"

Laura sat back down on the edge of her bed, her head dipped as she wondered how in the hell she ended up here. Three years she had lived in America. Things had certainly not turned out every remotely close to what she expected.

"I just don't understand what is going on with Graves," Laura whispered.

Minali sat on the other bed, concern etched over her face. "Look…I don't want to be nosy, but I noticed…you and the Director." She gave Laura a knowing look.

Laura blushed, her cheeks growing so hot. "No…I mean, _no_!" Someone had noticed? Laura was mortified.

"I saw the looks! You two were very careful doing whatever it is that you were doing, and I suppose it helps that Graves is hardly the kind of man that would unfairly rise up someone just because he was…friendly with them, but I saw the looks. There was definitely something going on between you two," Minali poked, albeit carefully.

Laura gritted her teeth. Did anyone else notice? "It wasn't…we're just friends."

Minali nodded. "Okay, fine. But he cared about you. And you care about him. So when…when did you notice his change?"

"He was fine before Europe," Laura said. She closed her eyes and pictured their last meeting. She could remember it all so well. The way he smelled. The way his eyes roamed over her body, taking her in as if he hadn't just seen her a few hours before. "We spoke briefly before he left. He explained why he wasn't taking me with him-with them. With the Aurors," Laura stuttered over her words. Her eyes shot open and she found Minali giggling at her. Laura blushed.

"What about when he came back? I didn't see him until the next day and he was immediately rude."

Laura frowned. "I was in the office when he came back. It was wrong from the start. I thought…I thought he'd be happy to see me," she said, the disappointment dripping in every word. "He seemed lost, but not emotionally. Just…lost." She sighed heavily as she remembered the crushing heartbreak she felt the first time she saw him after he, and only Percival, returned from Europe.

"Something happened in Europe. Something other than the attack. There is no way that Percival Graves would change so drastically just because a few Aurors were killed. Not like this."

Laura nodded. "But what would change Graves so much?"

Minali shrugged. "I don't know. So…let's make a friend and then go back to New York." A smile crept on her face.

"No way." Laura shook her head once again. "No way are we going to talk to that bastard Dougal MacLeod."


	26. Stay the Course

**Author's Notes:** Hello! Thank you for continuing to read my story and thank you for your comments! (yes, the chapter titles are songs by Epica! The title of the story comes from the song Suckerpunch by Delain. I just loved the line "His sorrow cast a shade that I refuse to walk beneath" and wanted to use it in a book or story.) It took me longer than I wanted to write this one because I got distracted by a future chapter! lol. Hopefully I'll be able to get Chapter 27 up soon!

 **Chapter 26- Stay the Course**

 _September 1924_

Laura, for once, simply enjoyed being on desk duty. The work was simple, though taxing at times, and there was always something to do. Slowly, Laura found her confidence again. Her hand worked as well as it might ever work again, which wasn't quite 100%, but it was close enough. Every once in a while she would get a tremor, but Laura was able to keep it under control most of the time.

Dougal's visits on the weekends got better as well. Since her anger over her injury had cooled, so had their arguments. They were back to enjoying their few hours together each weekend.

Hinton was also getting better. Every day his headaches seemed to lessen. He was still enjoying the desk duty, however, and not even Graves was interested in pushing him back out into the field. Laura, on the other hand…

Graves made it clear, a few days into September, that Laura's time at the desk was coming to an end and she should prepare to move out again. Graves reminded her, albeit slightly forcibly, that she was best when out in the field. Not behind a desk.

But Laura was worried about who Graves might pair her up with. Or would he send her out on her own?

Every morning, Laura prepared to be sent out on a case. But so far, no luck.

Until finally, Laura had barely settled in for the morning before Limus stalked over to her desk and tossed a thick file on her clean and organized desk.

"You and Goldstein will head out today to find Jake Miller. We got an owl overnight reporting he has been seen near Central Park the past couple of days. So find him. Quickly. And bring him in," Limus ordered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "And try not to get Goldstein killed."

Laura tried not to growl at her boss. Instead, she forced a smile; a toothy and clearly fake smile. "Will do, sir." She watched him turn on his heel and walk away, her smile falling to a glare.

"I think he hates you," Tina said, coming up behind Laura.

"The feeling is mutual." Laura turned to look at the younger Auror and couldn't help but smile, a real smile. She had not had the chance to work with Tina outside of the office and she couldn't wait to see what she could do. Laura just knew that Tina would be an outstanding Auror one day and if she could help her, she would.

"What?" Tina said, noticing Laura's smile.

"I'm just so excited to work with you! Let's get started."

Tina smiled, and blushed, in response and then pulled up a chair. They spent a couple of hours going through the file. Laura knew nothing about Miller, so this was all new to her. The 29-year-old Ohio wizard had been accused of torturing several muggles in early 1924. He had been on the run for several months now, but this was the first time he was reported as being spotted anywhere since the last incident in March.

This might just be their best chance to catch him this year.

Once the women were sure they were ready, they put on their coats and hats and headed out. The two women were very similar in not only stature, but looks. Tina had a good two inches on Laura, but they both sported chin length bobs, though Laura's hair was a shade darker than Tina's brown. And while both women had brown eyes, Tina's were dark and Laura's were more of a honey brown that Queenie joked sparkled when Laura got mischievous. Laura didn't buy it because she couldn't remember the last time she felt mischievous.

They went straight for where Miller had last been seen, near Central Park. A lot of rural wizards and witches, Tina told Laura, liked to stay near Central Park because of the scenery. The rest of the city, they felt, was too busy. The Park was beautiful, Laura had to admit.

She grew up outside of London, in a small wizarding community that was mostly rich and pureblood families. The Goyles lived close to a section of woods, with Laura's maternal grandmother's home on the other side, but it was still a well sized town. It gave Laura a chance to wander through the woods, but not too large for her to get lost, though she often wished for it.

She preferred the city, if she was to be honest. Easier to get lost among so many faces.

As they approached the park, the women slowed down, their eagle eyes searching the sunny faces around them. Laura unconsciously gripped the tip of her wand, which she had attached to the holder on her right wrist, the tip in the palm of her hand for easy access. They were in public, around muggles and had to be very careful about what they were doing. It was imperative that the wider muggle public have no idea wizards exist.

Laura really hated it when there were muggles around. It just made their job unnecessarily harder.

The report said that Miller was possibly staying at a hotel facing Central Park. Laura had no interest in searching a hotel floor by floor.

Laura and Tina strolled down the street, pretending to be two girlfriends out for a walk. They chatted aimlessly, but Laura was careful this time to not get into anything too interesting. She kept her eyes searching the faces around them, making sure not to get caught off guard this time. She wouldn't let Tina get hurt.

It was on their second pass up the street that Tina finally caught sight of Jake Miller. He was chatting up some young woman near the entrance to Central Park. He was hidden by some shrubbery, but Tina caught sight of him at the last minute.

They walked into Central Park and strolled over to a tree, on the other side of the sidewalk from where Miller and the young woman were.

"How in the world are we supposed to grab him without causing an incident?" Tina whispered, trying not to stare at him too hard.

"We wait. We follow him to somewhere less public." Laura peeked at him quickly and then looked back to Laura. "Or we _Imperio_ him and get him out of the way."

"Laura!" Tina said in shock. "That's _unforgivable_ ," she whispered so low that Laura could hardly hear her. Her brown eyes were huge with worry.

Laura smiled at Tina. "I'm joking, obviously. I would never."

Tina relaxed, smiling awkwardly. "Of course. So we wait?"

Nodding, Laura glanced back over at Miller. "We wait."

Miller, 5 foot 11 if you were being generous, was just a hand taller than the woman he was chatting up. She seemed interested, which likely was bad. The woman was most likely a muggle, which meant Miller had ill intentions with her.

Tina and Laura needed to save the muggle woman.

The women didn't have to wait long until Miller and the muggle woman with him began to walk down the path into Central Park, arm in arm. Tina and Laura followed at an acceptable distance, giggling to each other as if they were gossiping about the world around them.

Laura kept her eyes on his feet, waiting for any tell tale signs that he was planning on turning around, while Tina kept an eye on his hands.

Even though she wished her mind could wander several times over their walk through the park, Laura kept her mind trained on the situation in front of her. She could not have a repeat of her last outing. She needed to redeem herself, not just to the other Aurors and Graves, but to herself as well.

She had excelled at Hogwarts in most subjects; as such, she graduated at the head of her class among all the Houses. Her parents were proud, to a point, but expected her to marry and give birth to the next legion of dark wizards.

That, clearly, was not what Laura had in mind for herself. She wasn't sure what to do with her life until Dumbledore suggested a name change and then an application to the Auror Program. Unreservedly, Laura called her old Professor a buffoon. There was no way she would be allowed to even train as an Auror. Nobody would trust her.

Laura was half-right.

With Dumbledore and Professor Silvanus Kettleburn (the enthusiastic professor of Care of Magical Creatures) behind her, not to mention most of her Hogwarts Professors, it was actually quite easy for Laura to get into the Auror program. Passing it, however, was harder. Not because Laura didn't understand the magic involved, but because there were several people running the program that knew who she really was and made it their mission to make sure she failed.

Yet, here she was.

Even though she wasn't originally sure she could be an Auror, once she had gotten into the program, she so desperately wanted to stay. What better way to get back at her family than to spend her life arresting dark wizards?

They had been walking for almost ten minutes before Laura and Tina noticed, almost at the same time, that Miller was about to do something. He and the woman with him began to slow. Had he noticed he was being followed? Laura wasn't sure. He hadn't given off any indication that he had noticed the two Aurors.

Tina and Laura whispered, debating whether to slow or continue walking past Miller and his date. Laura gave a quick glance around. There were very few people on this part of the path, perhaps six total. Either side of the path was covered by a thick collection of trees.

This was a good spot, as any, to have it out.

She tilted her head as she watched Miller and the woman. Miller gently pulled the woman over to a tree, pointing something out. With the effort of a seasoned Auror, Laura gave a final quick look around.

Only four people on this part of the path.

In moments like these, Laura wished she had the ability to speak telepathically to her fellow Auror. It would help immensely. She and Tina simply hadn't had the opportunity work closely enough in the field to get a good feel for what needed to be done.

Laura missed Hinton.

They knew each other so well now. Not perfectly, but when they were on their mark, they could work so well together.

A list of spells ran through Laura's mind as she patted Tina on the hand, a signal. Should she go straight for Miller? Neutralize the witnesses so they didn't see too much?

Tina, in the briefest of movements, motioned with her head to the two muggles on the path up ahead.

Laura nodded quickly in understanding. Neutralize the witnesses it was.

A second later and both women moved to act quickly. Laura let her wand slip down into her hand fully. She could feel the magic spreading from her wand to her hand and it made her feel complete.

Laura slid out, moving away from Tina, and whirled around, her wand up. With the skill of a seasoned Auror, Laura sent two quick _Stupefys_ towards the unsuspecting muggles. They hit their mark quickly and then Laura was sure to help them to the ground silently.

As soon as that was done, she turned her attention to Miller, who was, unsurprisingly, holding the muggle woman in front of him, his wand pressing into her throat.

Tina was a few feet away from Laura, her wand also pointed at Miller, having quickly and quietly put her muggles to sleep.

Miller's eyes darted between the two women in front of him. It didn't look like he had noticed them, after all. He was simply preparing to do something to the muggle woman with him, Laura figured.

She felt a swell of pride to know they were going to stop him.

"Don't do anything stupid, Miller. You're already in quite a bit of trouble. Let her go, alive and safe, and we'll let the Director know you were cooperative," Laura said, her voice strong and true.

 _I am an Auror and a good one at that,_ she reminded herself. _This was not the time for jitters._

"I am not going to prison! And I will not be taken down by two women!" he growled angrily.

Laura only smirked. _The folly of men,_ she thought.

Miller's wand twitched against the woman's throat. Laura needed some way to communicate to Tina that she wanted to go after Miller. They really should have discussed this before stopping.

 _Add that to the list of things I need to get in order,_ Laura admonished herself.

But it was almost as if Tina could read her partners mind, or maybe she just understood Laura so very well, because she suddenly began moving to her right, up the path, Miller's eyes following the young Auror every step.

Laura used the distraction to hit Miller in the hand with an _Expelliarmus_. His hand ripped away from his grip on the woman and his wand went soaring in the air towards Laura. She wasted no time, flinging her wand towards his wand to send it closer to Tina and then she sent a hard _Stupefy_ right at the center of his chest.

His eyes went wide as the full brunt of the spell hit his chest. A second later and he was in the brush behind him, knocked out cold.

Tina let Laura head for Miller while she went over the terrified woman to _Obliviate_ her.

In a matter of minutes, the area was cleared up, with all of the muggles being _Obliviated_. Laura and Tina took grip of Miller and exchanged a proud smile between them.

"Good job, Tina!" Laura complimented her.

Tina blushed slightly. "Just working from your great lead."

The smile on Laura's face grew as she apparated the trio back to MACUSA. This was why she was here.


	27. Decoded Poetry

**Chapter 27- Decoded Poetry**

Even though Jake Miller was a lower priority for the office, Tina and Laura were still heartily congratulated on bringing him in quickly and relatively quietly.

Graves brought them both to his office and heaped praise on them. Not too much, of course, but enough for them to know he meant it and he was proud of them for their actions, particularly for the way they handled the muggles at the scene.

Laura felt her heart swell with genuine fondness for her boss. She was also proud of the way Tina had acted.

The past few months had been so up and down, it was so wonderful to get compliments from Graves.

And she couldn't ignore that feeling between her legs when he smiled at her.

Her days returned to normal. She and Tina went out on the streets of New York City on several occasions and managed to nab three more low level collars. Laura finally felt like the Auror she wanted to be.

She had grown fairly comfortable in New York in the past year, but as the weeks of September flew by, she felt a new comfort that she had never felt in all her life. Even as a child, before she was too aware of her parent's dislike of her, she never truly felt comfortable.

Laura Maurette was _happy_.

Funny what a name change and new scenery could do for a person's sanity.

Almost two weeks after Laura and Tina's successful capture of Jake Miller, Graves called Laura into his office. Laura no longer feared going to her boss' office; in fact, she loved it. Since she first got hurt, Laura had seen a new side to Graves. He wasn't really the grumpy, foul man he appeared to be when they first met. True, he could be quite foul, but he was actually a darling man that made her insides melt.

Was he like this with everyone?

By the way some of the women stared at him, Laura figured he must be. You just had to get to know him first and prove yourself.

Laura entered his office as always and shut the door behind her before taking the seat in front of his desk, not even waiting for his usual greeting.

"Good morning, Laura. How was your weekend?" he asked, the slightest rise in his voice to indicate his displeasure at something.

Did her boss know she was fraternizing with another Auror? Was that against the rules here? Laura hadn't heard anything to say as such. She'd have to remember to ask Tina.

Or maybe Graves was just annoyed by something else. You never knew with him.

"It was…uneventful," Laura answered. And it was. Dougal sent her an owl earlier in the week to let her know he would have to work.

Graves kept a straight face as he stared at her. "That's too bad. I spent a good hour at the bookstore on Saturday. Your presence would have been welcome," he said in a soft voice.

 _The bookstore_.

Laura hadn't been since…

"You've not gone back in five months, have you?" he questioned, noticing the look on her face. He seemed surprise by it.

Laura shrugged, uncomfortable under his scrutiny. "I haven't felt like buying new books." Had it really been five months since she had last been in a bookstore? It seemed like only yesterday some days.

Graves laughed, though it sounded like a mix of laughter and scoffing. He clearly didn't believe her lie.

"I haven't thought about it much," Laura admitted. "But I guess I've been avoiding it." She shrugged again. "Wouldn't you?" she added in a much quieter voice, looking away, focusing on his clean floor.

She heard the scrapping of a chair and looked up as Graves made his way around the desk. He stood in front of her and leaned back against his desk, leaning on his knees towards her.

"You should go," he said quietly. "You shouldn't let Logan or anyone else ruin something you so love." He reached out towards her hands that were on her lap and Laura's stomach flipped as she hoped he would touch her hand. His fingers stretched, but at the last minute he moved his hand towards her shoulder.

Laura remembered every second of her last time in the bookstore. She remembered the way her skin burned under her clothes from Graves' touch. She remembered how even her skin ached for his touch after he moved his hand away.

She tried not to be too obvious, but she moved into his touch, basking in the feeling. He had a light, but purposeful touch.

Laura wondered what his fingers would feel like on her thighs.

She pushed the thought from her mind. This was not the time.

"I know you love to read. Don't let that son of a bitch ruin it for you."

Nodding, Laura tried to smile. "I promise to try."

Graves patted her shoulder, gave it a little squeeze, and then pulled his hand away. His face twitched slightly as he did so and Laura wondered if he missed the contact as much as she did. He leaned back and crossed his arms.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to need you to go back to San Francisco."

Her stomach flipped again, but it was a different feeling than when she wished for Graves' touch. This made her feel sick.

"San Francisco?" she questioned, trying to keep her voice firm, but she was sure her boss heard the shake in her voice.

"Philip Noonan is in town, according to the local office. They don't have the kind of experience you do when it comes to facing down some of the worst. Noonan is dangerous and you have faced down some of the worst. We need to question Noonan and I would trust no one but you with this."

Despite the fact she hated the idea of going to San Francisco to face down none other than Philip Noonan, Laura couldn't help the feeling of pride that swelled through her at Graves' words.

 _I would trust no one but you with this_.

Not Limus, Carneirus, or Minali. But _her_.

Laura sat up straighter in her seat. "Thank you, sir. But…alone?" she questioned, unable to help herself. Philip Noonan was one of Grindelwald's top followers in the US. He was vicious and had committed numerous muggle murders, probably more than they knew about.

Graves smiled; a beautiful sight to see on his handsome face. His smile could light up a room, Laura believed. And boy did it.

"You'll meet up with Aurors Aaron Filmore and Dougal MacLeod. MacLeod will work from the office to help you, but can go with you into the field if you think you'll need more backup than Filmore. Filmore is quite competent, but has yet to face down one of Grindewald's top followers. Certainly the entire office will be at your disposal as well. I want you going in confident and I want you safe, obviously."

She was going to work with Dougal.

 _Oh boy_.

Laura smiled up at Graves. "I won't let you down, sir." She couldn't. He was counting on her. She didn't want to disappoint him again.

The smile on his face softened and Laura wondered what he was thinking. "Just come home safe."

She tried not to break into tears, but it was hard. It was one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to her. She thought back to eight months previous, when she had returned from San Francisco and the words Graves had said to her then in this very office.

 _I was anxious to have you back in New York._

Just what did he mean by all of this? Did Percival Graves think about her in the way she thought about him late at night?

As Laura left his office, her eyes once again went to the familiar spine of _The Gentle Sway_. The book no longer held disappointment and sadness for her. Instead, it now represented the dreams she had always had. To run away and be free. She was free, wasn't she? Of her family. Of the pain they caused her. True, while her father remained free he would always be at the back of her mind, but here with Tina and Queenie and Graves, she was free and now truly alive.

Maybe she would never run across Europe or the world, traveling with the love of her life, but here she was, protecting the innocent from scum like Grindelwald and Noonan.

Laura smiled. She was going to be okay.


	28. Burn to a Cinder

**Chapter 28- Burn to a Cinder**

San Francisco, Laura decided as she stood outside of the abandoned building that was actually the MACUSA Office in the city, was much more gorgeous in September.

The air had a hint of the cold that the ocean would bring, but the sun was still heating the city, filling Laura with an odd hope.

She had considered warning Dougal that she was going to be coming to town, but then figured Graves surely let the office know.

Dougal was the Deputy Auror at the San Francisco Office, Laura learned after her first meeting with him. Which was why he accompanied Laura and Hinton to the hospital back in January. The Head Auror in San Francisco was Kim Won-Il, a 45-year-old Korean with almost twenty-five years of experience. Won-Il was probably the most laid back Auror Laura had ever heard of. He was a good Auror, according to Graves, and well experienced with many spells, but he went about his day in a very casual manner that Dougal had spoken of on many occasions. Dougal quite enjoyed working under Won-Il.

She was so looking forward to meeting him.

Won-Il was waiting for Laura when she walked into the abandoned building, casually leaning against a gate at security.

"Miss Maurette," he greeted her after she went through security. "I am so excited to meet you," he said in a calm voice that didn't scream excitement to her.

"Likewise, Mr. Kim. I've heard so much about you," she said as they shook hands.

Won-Il gave Laura a small bow and then gestured for her to follow him. "Won-Il, will be fine. The Director spoke very highly of you and said he would allow no one other than you to lead the search for Noonan. I look forward to seeing what you can do. Anything you need, just let us know." The pair walked and talked as he led Laura towards the Auror's office. "Aaron Filmore and Emma Nichols will be your help. They were the ones who found out Noonan was in town. And Dougal MacLeod, whom I believe you've met, will also be available to help. They're my three best Aurors."

"Thank you," Laura said as they reached the third floor where the expansive Auror's office was. It reminded her of the office at the Ministry back home in London. The room was filled with closed off cubicles and each cubicle was covered in newspaper clippings and photos of what Laura assumed were dark wizards. She paused as she looked over the room, feeling an expected desire to go back to London.

"It's wonderful, is it not?" Won-Il said, noticing her look.

Laura forced a smile. "It is. Nicer than New York, if I can be honest." There was just no privacy in the Auror's office.

"Let me show you to your cubicle. I've put you by Emma, here near the front," he said as he brought her over to her new desk. The cubicle had just one photo hanging on the outside wall; it was a photo of Philip Noonan.

"Emma, come say hello," Won-Il said, sticking his head over the cubicle next to Laura's.

Emma Nichols couldn't have been much more than five feet, even with the heeled boots she wore. 40-something with the longest blonde hair Laura had ever seen, which she wore down in the office, at first glance Emma was very comforting in her appearance. But as the woman stared Laura down, Laura couldn't help but get the feeling that Emma would hex her if necessary.

Not a woman to mess with, certainly. Laura smiled at the thought.

Emma extended her hand as she came closer to Laura. "A pleasure to meet you, Laura."

Laura took her hand in her own and was surprised by how warm and smooth Emma's hands felt. "And you. I didn't have much time to look over Noonan's file, so I look forward to hearing what you and Aaron have found out."

Emma nodded, her bangs bouncing on her forehead.

"I'll leave you to it. Welcome back, Laura," Won-Il said before giving a small bow and leaving the two women alone.

Emma pointed into Laura's cubicle at a stack of papers. "I copied some of my notes for you, just the important things. I'll go get Aaron while you read."

"Cheers," Laura said. She walked into her cubicle, took off her coat and hat, set them on the side desk and then settled in to begin reading the notes Emma made for her. The woman's notes were perfect, Laura thought. They were clear, but straight to the point and in a bullet list. There was no extraneous information to be found. Just facts.

Philip Noonan was born in 1887, making him around 37, just a few years younger than Gellert Grindelwald. Noonan, like Grindelwald, had attended Durmstrang Institute in Scandinavia and was where Noonan became entranced by the older wizard. After he graduated from Durmstrang in 1905, he joined Grindelwald's growing legion of followers, committing atrocities against muggles for his master across Europe until he finally came to North America in 1922. According to Emma's notes, he had killed three high profile muggles in Canada and one in Mexico before killing indiscriminately across America.

His total number of murders was unknown, but MACUSA believed it to be around 20.

He was easily one of Grindelwald's most dangerous followers. Laura had to wonder why Graves thought she could do this, especially if he was so concerned for her life.

Graves worked in weird ways, Laura thought. Or maybe she was reading too much into things.

"So, this is the amazing Laura Maurette we've heard so much about?" a voice said from behind Laura. There was a slight dip of bitterness in the voice that made the hair stand up on the back of Laura's neck.

Her heart clinched in her chest, but Laura pushed through it and turned around in her seat to look at who had spoken.

Emma was standing next to the much taller man, glaring at him, seemingly noticing the bitterness in his voice as well. Laura could only conclude this was Aaron Filmore.

"And you are?" Laura quipped, her voice monotone.

She could see his jaw clamp shut as he gritted his teeth angrily, a blush coming up his neck. "Aaron Filmore, the man who has done the work on this case and I don't appreciate being pushed out for no reason."

Laura leaned casually on the back of her chair. "I've read your file, Aaron. The most dangerous dark wizard you've picked up is…no one. You've been an Auror for two years. The Director simply wishes to ensure that Noonan gets arrested. He doesn't want you to get killed because you're in over your head. It happens to us all at some point in our careers. You deal with it and move on and eventually, you get to do it to someone else. Welcome to being an Auror." Laura turned to Emma who was smirking. "I assume you're familiar with this area that Noonan was seen in?"

Aaron was fuming, but Laura ignored him. They had more important things to discuss.

Emma nodded. "It's one of the few Wizard populated areas in the city. Unfortunately, there's three different underground clubs he's been seen at."

Laura silently contemplated how they would do it. There was no way they could hit all three at once. And while she was very confident in her skills, even she wasn't stupid enough to go up against Noonan on her own. Based on his attitude problem, Laura wasn't sure she wanted Aaron to back her up. Even with Dougal's help, that still meant at best they could pair up.

Which meant one club would have to be ignored or put on the back burner. But Laura knew what these clubs were like. The moment they showed up at a club, the other two would be warned.

Laura wished Tina and Minali and Hinton were here.

She'd even take Limus.

"I don't suppose we could get two or more Auror's to help out?" she questioned Emma.

"We may not be as used to dueling dark wizards like you," a familiar Scottish voice said from outside of her cubicle. "But there's plenty of us to pitch in." Dougal came around the corner of the cubicle to stand next to Emma, dwarfing her. He smiled softly at Laura, his blue eyes twinkling with appreciation. Laura assumed he heard what she had said to Aaron.

She couldn't help it, but a smile lit up Laura's face. Not only was it nice to see a familiar face, but it was nice to see _him_.

But she couldn't ignore the slight difference in her excitement to see him. She was genuinely happy to see him and yet there wasn't that familiar beat of her heart that she usually got when he would visit her on the weekends.

What was different?

"Ideally, I'd like three for each club. Aaron will go to one, I'll go to another, and Emma to the third with two backup each, at least," she told him as her mind tried to figure out why her heart wasn't beating as fast as it used to when she saw him.

Dougal nodded, thinking. "Orla Brady is good in a pinch and Henry Jones is good with spells. Quick reflexes."

"Trevor and Jeremy have been working together for years and can read each other's minds. They're good in the field," Emma added.

"Very true. They're good to have at your back. Rihannon would be good if she wasn't already out in the field," Dougal said as he thought out loud. "Benjamin could be a good backup."

"Okay, then there's nine. We hit at the same exact same time or we ruin all three of our chances and we may chase him out of town," Laura said. "Get everyone together and we'll make a plan."

Dougal nodded, smirking. "Yes, ma'am," he said with a wink.

She tried not to blush and turned back to her notes. She needed to get very familiar with who Noonan was hanging out with in the city.

And she did not need to think about Dougal and why she wasn't as excited as she wanted to be. Laura needed to focus on the case. Thinking about men while in the field was what got her in trouble when out with Hinton. If she wanted everyone to come back alive and safe, she needed to get her head in the game.

Philip Noonan was what mattered today.

Dougal could wait until tomorrow.


	29. Living a Lie

**Chapter 29- Living a Lie**

Since they wouldn't be able to head to the clubs until much later, Laura took her time in familiarizing herself with Noonan's file, as well as the files on his known associates in San Francisco. Once she felt fairly comfortable with it, she brought the other eight Auror's together to sit down and make a plan.

Benjamin Andrews was a tall, lanky black man with stunning green eyes, freckles, and blonde hair that Laura had never seen on a black person before. He, Dougal explained, was from a country called Melanesia near Australia. Laura had never even heard of Melanesia before and wished she could learn more. She had never been to that side of the world, but hoped she could one day travel across the world.

Orla Brady was a witch with fire red hair, freckles, and pale skin. Although she, herself, was not from Ireland, her parents had immigrated from their native Ireland to the United States before Orla and her eight siblings were born in order to give their children a better life. Laura was fascinated to learn that five of her siblings were also Aurors across the United States. Laura didn't miss that Orla sat in the empty chair next to Dougal and then, ever so slightly, shifted her chair closer to him.

Trevor Rhodes and Jeremy Petersen looked like they could be siblings. Both just under six feet with stocky builds and square jaws, they even walked similarly. _No wonder they were a good team,_ Laura thought. They might have been twins in another life.

The final person to join the meeting was Henry Jones. He came strolling in like he just couldn't be bothered. Maybe just an inch taller than Laura, he slouched as he walked and wore a slightly tattered and dirty trench coat. With his shaggy blonde hair, Laura got the impression that Henry liked people to think he didn't care, but did just enough to show he did care.

Laura looked around the small meeting room at the eight people in front of her and felt an odd sensation well up in her chest. She had never been in charge of so many people before. Was this how Graves felt every time in stood in front of the Aurors?

Of course not. Graves was nothing but calm and sure.

 _Be like Graves,_ she told herself.

She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin, and willed her face to be stone cold. She didn't miss the subtle change of atmosphere in the room when she began to address them.

"Reports have Noonan visiting a different club every night since he got to San Francisco. As such, we're going to go in groups of three to the three different clubs. We'll hit at exactly the same time to minimize the chance of word getting to Noonan. Which is where you all come in to play. Emma, Henry, and Orla will go to The Stock House. Aaron, Trevor, and Jeremy will go to The Market. Dougal and Benjamin will join me at the final club, Hestia's Way." Laura also did not miss the look between Dougal and Orla when they learned they would not be working together. She filed that away for later.

"Noonan, as I'm sure you're all away, is incredibly dangerous. Do not, under any circumstances, underestimate him. Expect him to try to kill you. Director Graves wants Noonan brought back alive so we can question him. Expect others to help him. Noonan has been seen with Jillian Murphy and Jack Portis, who are both dangerous. Please keep in mind how dangerous this is. Don't let down your guard." Laura looked from face to face as she spoke and hoped she was getting through to them. The only ones she was worried about were Aaron and Henry. They came across as too immature to Laura.

"Once you have Noonan in custody, bring him back here and make sure he is watched carefully. Again, do not let your guard down. Any questions?"

Orla tentatively raised her hand. "Are ye sure we should only go with three?"

"Noonan is dangerous, but he's not Grindelwald. His previous run-ins with Aurors have been one on one. There's nothing to suggest three is the wrong choice. Once the other two clubs are cleared, the rest will join us at the third club. Which will make it nine on one or nine on three. Is that better?" she asked, doing her best to keep her tone cool and neutral. Inside, she wanted to snap. If it was up to her, she'd take twenty. But she only had so many Aurors at her call.

The redhead frowned, but shook her head, not wishing to take Laura on.

Laura found she was glad she would not be heading out with Orla. But she also hated the woman against woman feelings that were welling up in her chest. It was just a look. It meant nothing.

Right?

 _Focus,_ Laura told herself. _Be like Graves_.

"Anything else?" she asked, her tone clipped. The Aurors shook their heads. "Good. Keep this to yourself as well. We'll meet here at a quarter of nine and head out."

With all of the strength she could muster, Laura turned and walked away without glancing at Dougal. She headed back to her cubicle and sat down at her chair, Noonan's file still spread out on the desk in front of her. Before she could stop herself, Laura pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote out a quick note to Graves.

 _Director,_

 _I shouldn't say too much, but all is well and planned._

 _Interesting personalities here in San Fran. I really am missing Limus; I must be ill._

 _I don't mind saying that I don't actually like being in charge of a large group. Please never recommend me for Carnie or Limus' positions._

 _Hope to see you soon,_

 _Laura_

Before she could give herself the chance to regret that complimentary close, she folded it up and handed it off to be delivered to Graves. If she was lucky, Noonan would be caught before Graves read it and replied.

"You're turning out to be quite the leader," Dougal whispered, coming up behind her once Laura had settled down again.

She shrugged before turning to look back at him. He was leaning casually against the frame of her cubicle and she briefly wondered how it was holding his weight before a silly thought entered her mind: _magic_. Laura smiled softly at him.

"I miss just working with one person. It's a lot less contentious."

"Orla's fine, dear. She just doesn't like anyone," he joked, though Laura could tell there was truth to his statement.

Laura wanted to ask him if there were any nice people working here, but she thought back to New York and how much attitude there was in their office that she kept her mouth shut. Their job was necessarily about being nice.

"How about a bite to eat before we go?" Dougal asked, surprising Laura. She shook off the thought of Dougal and Orla. They were just coworkers. It was nothing.

Her smile grew. "I would love it."

Dougal took Laura to a very small and cozy deli. Although the food was delicious, Laura couldn't stop the growing dread in her stomach that came before any raid. Dougal, Laura noticed, seemed to have the same problem. It did, somehow, comfort her to know that someone who had been an Auror for almost forty years still got nervous before a raid.

They returned to the office and headed to their separate cubicles. Laura was surprised to find a letter sitting on top of her stack of papers. She glanced around quickly before picking it up and opening it.

 _Laura,_

 _I look forward to finding out who was involved in this as I personally oversaw the hiring of many of them, I'm sure. But if you are missing Limus than they must not be very nice._

 _I promise to never promote you, but I will keep your letter as proof if I am accused of being unkind to you._

 _As ever, come home safe._

 _P.G._

Her heart swelled in her chest.

 _As ever, come home safe._

And that signature. The most personal way he had ever referred to himself around her.

Would he ever stop driving her crazy?

The minutes ticked by slowly as Laura once again looked over her files, Graves letter clutched in her fist carefully. It was odd, but she felt calm as she held it, ready for anything.

And then it was 8:30pm.

At 8:40, she gathered near the front entrance, meeting the other Aurors. They looked to her, waiting for her words of wisdom.

 _Be like Graves,_ she thought.

"Be careful, watch each other's backs. You know how this goes. Bring back Noonan alive. If you get Murphy or Portis, fine, but Noonan is the goal. Once you have him secure, and be sure he's secure, send words to the others and we'll meet back here."

The eight Aurors in front of her nodded. Laura took a deep breath and looked to Dougal and Benjamin.

"Let's go."

Hestia's Way was the nicest of the three underground clubs, though that didn't stand for much. From the photos she had seen, Laura thought it was better looking than The Blind Pig. Named for the notorious Witch gangster Hestia Phillips, and rumored to have been started by Hestia herself, it was decorated with gold embellishments. Hestia was infamous for her sweeping black cloak that had gold embellishments.

The trio hid around a corner, Benjamin keeping an eye on the secret door to the club.

"He's been seen here three times in the past week," Dougal whispered. "What are the odds he comes tonight?"

"I put my bet on this place because he's been here so often. He likes it. Why?" Laura whispered back.

"Aesthetics? Or maybe for Jillian? She thinks fairly highly of herself," Benjamin said.

"Time?" Laura asked.

Dougal pulled out his pocket watch. "A few more minutes still."

Laura flexed her hands, willing her wand hand to be reliable on this night. She hadn't had many issues lately, but this wouldn't be a good time for her hand to fail her.

Noonan might very well kill one of them tonight.

"It's time," Dougal finally said.

The trio looked at each other, unsaid words flowing between them. Before they disapparated, Laura looked at Dougal. What if he died tonight? Was there anything she should say? _I love you_.

 _Did_ she love him anymore? When had that changed?

He half-smiled and Laura returned the smile.

No negative thoughts for her. They were all going home tonight. And then Laura could figure out how she felt about Dougal.

They disapparated in unison and then appeared in the packed club amongst the many patrons. The alarm had gone off in the instant before they appeared, but there were just too many people. Laura scanned the club quickly as she disapparated and apparated throughout the large floor, but her heart was sinking.

Noonan was nowhere to be seen.

And then a flutter of shiny black hair caught Laura's eye. _Jillian Murphy_.

She was a statuesque beauty with dark black skin that seemed to make the silver embroidery on her clothes stand out even more. Laura had to admit, the woman was gorgeous.

A second after Laura saw Jillian, the woman saw her and turned quickly. Her wand, which was black with silver, flourished in the air with her silent spell. Laura blocked the spell and set her own at Jillian, hoping to knock the witch out, but Jillian was quick with her blocking spells as well.

Laura was vaguely aware of other spells rushing around the room. She wanted to look, but dared not take her eye off of Jillian. Was Noonan here as well? Was Dougal dueling with him?

A spell hit a table next to her as Laura dived behind another table. She disapparated and apparated on the other side of Jillian and quickly hit her with a _Stupefy_. The spell hit Jillian square in the chest as she turned around. Jillian's body flew back, knocking over several tables before she hit the ground.

With Jillian down, Laura could now look around. The club was now mostly deserted, though a few patrons had stuck around to hide behind the bar and watch. She gave them a stern look and they disapparated quickly, clearly not wanting to get arrested.

Laura spun around and finally caught sight of the target: Philip Noonan. More handsome than Grindelwald had ever been, Laura could see why Noonan was one of Grindelwald's top followers. Not only dangerous, but his looks and charisma carried him a long way. He moved with such a fine grace as he dueled with not only Dougal, but Benjamin as well.

She stood rooted in her spot, her mind calculating her next choice of action.

The two men, thankfully, seemed to be holding their own, though Noonan made it seem like he was hardly trying. His wand seemed to float through the air as he flourished it, sending spell after spell towards the two Aurors.

 _Pop! Pop! Pop!_ The sounds of people apparating drew Laura's attention away and she spun around to face the wizards, her wand raised to be ready to duel.

She sighed audibly when she saw it was just the other Aurors. Aaron was bleeding from his temple and his clothes were in disarray, but everyone else looked fine, albeit out of breath.

"Two of you take Jillian back to the office, now!" Laura ordered, trying to keep her voice low.

Emma and Henry nodded and headed for the still knocked out witch. As they disapparated away, Laura turned back to see Noonan turning her way. A feeling of cold dread dripped down her body as she realized she couldn't see Dougal or Benjamin anywhere. She raised her wand to block whatever spell he sent her way and was surprised when she managed to do it in time.

Laura blocked the spell to her right and then immediately had to block another spell, this one hitting the ceiling above her. She dove forward, her hand unconsciously moving her wand to an old familiar spell, _Petrificus Totalus_. It didn't hit her target, which Laura hadn't expected to, but it did get Noonan on the move so that when she came out of her dive, he was just feet from her.

A jet of green light came out of his wand as a jet of red light came out of hers. The streams hit in the middle and Laura had to grip her wand tightly with both hands as she laid on the ground uncomfortably.

Noonan looked shocked as they both fought for control.

"Go now!" a voice shouted behind her and Laura had to react in a split second.

She disapparated and apparated where she had last seen Dougal standing, though it was now empty. As she gained her footing Laura watched as Noonan flew back into the wall behind him. Trevor was standing a few feet in front of Laura, his wand raised.

Noonan sat on the floor, dazed, as Laura walked up beside Trevor.

" _Accio_ wand!" she said calmly, though her heart was beating furiously in her chest. Noonan's wand shot out of his limp grasp and Laura caught it easily.

" _Stupefy_!" Trevor yelled, not taking any chances.

Laura smiled as Noonan's eyes rolled back in his head and his body slumped down even further. She turned to Trevor and gave him a small nudge with her elbow. "Quick thinking," she complimented him.

The Auror smiled brightly at her.

"Let's get him back."

Trevor nodded and motioned for help. Jeremy and Aaron hurried over to Noonan and the trio made sure Noonan was tied up tightly before they disapparated.

Laura finally looked around the quiet room. Benjamin was sitting in a chair, his face and shoulder bleeding, but when he noticed her gaze, he gave her a thumbs up.

And then her eyes fell on Orla. The redhead was splayed out on the ground, Dougal holding her head gently in his lap and running his hands through her hair. Emma stood over them, her hand over her mouth.

Laura's stomach churned. Orla Brady was dead.

And it might have been Laura's fault.


	30. Death of a Dream

**Chapter 30- Death of a Dream**

It felt like her heart was pounding inside her skull. Laura slowly walked towards Orla's body, her footsteps so unnaturally loud on the tile floor of the club.

Orla, who was already quite pale, had turned unnaturally pale. Laura had never seen someone with such white skin. Her red hair seemed to burn against her skin.

The closer Laura came to Orla, the more she realized her hair on her arms and the back of her neck was standing on end. There was an eerie familiarity that was screaming in the back of Laura's mind, but she couldn't remember why this felt so familiar.

Until she was standing at Orla's feet and Laura could finally see the purple tinged lips.

And then Laura remembered. The day she arrested her mother. That horrible, horrible day that Laura had tried so hard to forget the particulars of.

"I don't understand," Emma said in a small whisper. "She was just standing there and then she just dropped dead. I don't understand."

"She's not dead," Laura said.

Emma and Dougal both looked up at her, their eyes wide. "What?" Dougal said, his voice thick with emotions and his cheeks stained with tears.

"It's one of my father's spells. She's just in a coma," Laura told them, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice. She couldn't stop the feeling that something was going on with Dougal and Orla. Laura sighed. "She'll be fine."

With a shaking hand, Laura knelt down and put her hand on Orla's exposed leg. She closed her eyes and tried to remember the words that her father had used on her mother to wake her up. Her parents had tried to trick her; make her believe her mother was dead so Laura would stop looking for her. But Laura knew her parents well enough to hide and wait. And sure enough, her father had come out and woken her mother from his spell.

What had he said?

Her eyes shot open as she remembered.

"Purus gens." _Pure race_.

And then Orla's eyes opened slowly and she looked from Emma to Dougal, who were looking at her with a mixture of curiosity and expectation. Laura moved her hand away from her cold skin.

"What happened, Dougal?" Orla asked.

A smile that Laura had never seen on Dougal's face spread across his wrinkled cheeks. "It's okay. Everything's okay!" he said before he leaned it, touching his forehead to hers.

Laura disapparated immediately, unwilling to sit there and watch her world be destroyed in front of her eyes. How could she have been so stupid? All of these months that Dougal had been coming to New York to see her, but had never allowed her to come to San Francisco. Was it because he and Orla lived together? Was he afraid of Orla finding out about Laura?

What had Dougal been telling Orla this whole time about his weekends?

Apparating back at the office, Laura realized she was crying and shaking. Escaping to a nearby bathroom, she locked the door behind her and leaned against it, her entire body shaking.

How could she have been so stupid?

Laura allowed herself to cry for a few minutes before she forced herself to the sink to wash her face. The night wasn't over. She had to contact the Director and make sure Noonan was secure.

She could cry later. She _would_ cry later.

Leaving the bathroom, Laura headed for the Auror's office to write her quick note to Graves. She leaned over her desk, a quill in hand, and stared at the parchment. How much should she say?

Taking a breath, Laura began to write.

 _Director,_

 _The night is over and ended well. A few bumps in the road, but all have returned to the office._

 _I'll see you in the morning._

 _Laura_

She hurriedly folded it up and handed it off to the lone secretary in the office. The petite woman smiled at Laura softly and then left the office. Laura took another moment to compose herself and then made her way to the cells in the basement.

Every Auror in San Francisco was in the cells, either keeping watch on Noonan or they were just there to see Noonan with their own eyes. Laura frowned at them, but said nothing. This was the most famous and dangerous dark wizard the office had ever caught.

She made her way to his cell. Noonan was sitting on the ground, his back against the far wall with his arms shackled behind him. He looked up and smiled when he saw Laura approaching his cell. The Auror's quieted, waiting to see what was going to happen.

"I'm impressed. But I wouldn't expect anything less of you. I've heard _so_ much," Noonan said.

A chill ran through Laura. She knew exactly what he was referring to.

"Goyle was there?" she asked, looking for confirmation.

"Not at Hestia, no. He was at The Stock House, I believe…with Logan."

The room suddenly felt much smaller and colder. Her father was in San Francisco. Laura gulped nervously. Logan was in San Francisco.

"Life's going to get very tough for you, Noonan," she said, changing the subject. What if she had gone to The Stock House instead of Orla? She might have been buried alive with no one ever knowing she was still alive. Or would her father have killed her? She didn't want to think about it.

"I imagine your Director will try very hard, but I'm not worried." Noonan's smile grew.

Laura stepped closer to the bars and leaned in, a smile growing on her own face. "You should be," she whispered. "Dementors aren't fun."

The smile slipped from Noonan's face. "Not Azkaban."

"Of course. Once we're done questioning you, you'll be taken to Azkaban. It's what you deserve." Laura winked and then stood up straight. "The Director is very much looking forward to meeting you. Be a good boy, won't you?"

"You'll regret this. Goyle and Logan will kill everyone you care about and then they'll torture and kill you," Noonan threatened, his face darkening with anger. He pulled against his shackles.

"They're welcome to try. I'm not the same person I was a year ago." With that, Laura turned on her heel and began heading for the stairs. "If you're not here to guard Noonan, leave please," she ordered as she walked.

The Auror's listened to her, which was a weird experience for Laura. They filed behind her as she headed up the stairs to await news from the Director. Noonan's words ran through her mind over and over again as she walked up the stairs. Her father was here. Logan was here. Did they know she was in San Francisco?

Surely they must by now.

The staircase opened into the lobby and Laura began walking across the floor to the door, her feet carrying her to places unknown.

"Laura, I've been looking for you," a familiar voice called out.

Laura stopped and looked around, her eyes finally falling on the person behind the words.

"Graves!" she called out, surprised to see her boss. Her heart beat a little stronger in her chest and a true smile came back to her face.

Graves smiled back at her and crossed the lobby, still looking spectacular in his typical black suit even though it was early morning in New York. Had he been sitting at his desk, waiting for news of tonight so he could come immediately? How did he get here so quickly?

Laura wished she could bury her face in his suit and get lost in his cologne. What did it feel like to be held by Percival Graves? Could he heal her broken heart?

His smile faltered as he came closer, his eyes narrowing at her. "Let's speak in private," he said.

Laura realized her smile had disappeared as she got lost in her sadness. She shook her head clear and nodded. "The office is this way," she said, motioning behind him.

They walked to the Auror's office in silence, Graves adopting his usual stone cold look as some of the other Aurors and other staff walked the hallway. They headed for Won-Il's office and found him sitting behind his oak wood desk, writing quickly. Laura knocked on the open door and the Head Auror looked up, his eyes widening in surprise at seeing Graves with Laura.

"Director! Welcome to San Francisco! Come in," he said, motioning. Clearly not expecting their boss to come all the way to San Francisco.

Laura followed Graves into the office and shut the door behind them.

"A marvelous job your Aurors did tonight," Graves said as he and Won-Il shook hands.

"Led by your outstanding Auror. I've already heard from Benjamin that Laura is quite a dueler. Noonan is down in the cells, being guarded by several Aurors. I do admit, I think we'll all be quite happy when he's moved elsewhere," Won-Il said as he sat back at his desk.

Graves sat down in the chair in front of the desk and Laura chose to stand behind him, her arms crossed.

"I set a group in motion and they should be making their way here shortly. We'll take him off your hands before you know it."

"Good. Laura did also manage to capture Jillian Murphy. A shame we did not also get Logan Crabbe and Gray Goyle. Goyle would have been quite a catch. Almost as good as Noonan," Won-Il said.

Laura watched as Graves' shoulders stopped moving, indicating he had stopped breathing. He turned in his chair to look up at her. As soon as his face was out of Won-Il's sight, a breath of love and concern seemed to fill his eyes. She had seen that look before. But he didn't know the half of it. What would he think of her when he learned?

"Goyle and Logan were there?"

Laura nodded. "Sort of. Not at the club I was at, but Emma, Orla, and Henry apparently ran into them. Orla got the worst of it."

"What happened?" Graves asked, concern overtaking his features. He knew how dangerous Logan could be and understood that Goyle was much worse in some ways.

"I don't think they expected me to be in San Francisco. They used a coma spell on Orla, made her appear to be dead. But I've seen it on my mother."

Graves nodded. "The day you arrested her. I read about it in your file. So Orla is fine?" he asked.

"She'll be a little groggy, but she'll be fine." Laura couldn't help it, but she felt her jaw tense up as she spoke about the woman. Was Orla the other woman or was Laura?

How long had Orla and Dougal been together?

Graves seemed to notice her look, but turned back to Won-Il. "Might I be inconvenient for a moment?"

"You need my office?"

"I just need a moment with Laura," Graves confirmed.

Won-Il was already standing up from his desk. "I should check in my other Auror's. I haven't spoken with Dougal or Orla. Take all the time you need."

The pair waited until Won-Il had shut the door behind him and then Graves was out of the chair and stood in front of Laura, close enough that they could kiss. She felt his breath on her face as he stared down in concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

Laura forced herself to nod, but she couldn't meet his gaze. Instead she stared at his lips. Could she tell him what had happened? Should she mention how she had been betrayed?

"You don't seem it." His voice dipped dangerously low.

 _Don't look at his face,_ Laura thought. _Keep calm. Pretend._

"I don't like other people getting hurt because of my father," Laura whispered.

"I know. And you know it's not your fault. You aren't responsible for him." Graves raised his hands, seemed to hesitate, but lightly touched her shoulders. "What happened to Orla isn't your fault."

Laura shrugged. "Maybe not." She wanted to tell him. Wanted to share her pain with someone.

But how could she tell her boss a fellow Auror betrayed her in such a fashion?

"Is that all that's bothering you?" Graves asked, his hands still holding her shoulders. Laura suddenly wished she wasn't still wearing her coat. She wanted to feel his hands on her skin.

"Everything bothers me," she half-joked.

Graves smiled softly. "You can talk to me. I won't say a thing to anyone."

Laura finally looked up at his eyes. There was so much concern and care in his eyes, her knees started to feel weak.

Could she really tell him?

Finally, she smiled. "Honestly, I just miss New York. I'm ready to go home."

She thought she saw some disappointment in his eyes, but he nodded. "We need a final report from the other Auror's and then once Carneirus and the others arrive, we'll go home."

 _We'll go home_.

How true she wished those words were.

Her boss squeezed her shoulders lightly before finally dropping his hands. As ever, she missed his touch instantly. The pair left the office and found Won-Il speaking with Dougal and Orla outside of Emma's cubicle. The blonde Auror was standing in the opening of her cubicle, fury written all over her face.

Graves stood alongside Laura as they paused at the cubicles.

"Something I should know?" he asked, noticing the guilty look on Dougal's face and the disinterest on Orla's face.

The Auror's were clearly dealing with something. Won-Il turned to the Director, a touch of fear written on his features.

"There seems to be…an issue," the Head Auror said.

Dougal wouldn't even look at Laura. What had happened?

"With what?" Graves asked, his typical Director voice coming through. All of the care and compassion that he had held just moments ago was gone. Now, he was getting angry.

Laura shifted uncomfortably next to Graves. As the Auror in charge of the raid, it was her business to know what had happened. She should have questioned everyone immediately instead of turning inside of her herself.

"It appears that Dougal did not participate in the fight as much as he should have," Emma explained. "Leaving Benjamin to duel Noonan on his own, resulting in Benjamin being injured." Emma did not sound happy with the situation. She kept glaring over at Dougal and Orla.

"Why in Merlin's name did you not participate in the fight leaving your fellow Auror on his own?" Graves questioned Dougal, his eyes narrowed and his voice low. It wasn't the sexy low that Laura had heard earlier in the evening, but a menacing low that sent a chill through Laura.

"I saw the other's arrive and saw Orla collapse. I was worried," he explained. Nobody missed the sound of love and concern in his voice.

Laura's heart sank. If he loved Orla so much, why would he spend his weekends with Laura?

"You should have been worried about Benjamin. He was, after all, dueling Philip Noonan at the time. Why would you leave him on his own? Or do you care more about Orla than about Benjamin?" Graves questioned angrily, taking a cool step towards Dougal.

Dougal blanched. "I wasn't thinking."

"Clearly." Graves turned to Won-Il, who still looked fearful of their boss. "From this moment, Auror Dougal MacLeod is no longer Deputy Head Auror. In fact, I don't want him out in the field again until he remembers Auror Brady is not the only other Auror in this office. Am I understood?"

Dougal's face fell and even Orla finally managed to look horrified at what was happening in front of her.

Won-Il nodded nervously. "Understood."

Graves turned to Emma. "You'll replace MacLeod. Get something to eat and then you'll accompany Noonan to New York with the rest of us."

Emma smiled and nodded. "Understood, sir."

Finally, Graves turned back to Laura. "Get your things. I think you're done in San Francisco." He gave her a look that Laura couldn't quite read.

She thought it might be sympathy. But why would he feel bad for her in this situation?

As Laura picked up her things from her cubicle, a strange memory came to her. The night Dougal had come through her fireplace that first time she could have sworn someone was watching her. She had thought it to be her stalker.

But then she thought about the day Graves told her his mother was dying; the day she told him he could end the Aurors watch on her flat. The disinterest, the almost annoyance and anger at her talking about it. She wasn't sure why he was so…upset at her bringing it up. But now…

Now Laura wondered. What if Graves had never assigned Auror's to watch her flat?

What if Graves has taken it upon himself to watch her flat?

What if Graves had seen Laura with Dougal all of those months ago?

Laura turned in her temporary cubicle and stared at Graves. He seemed to notice her stare and looked at her. Their eyes locked and suddenly everything made sense.

He had known this whole time. And he had been jealous.

Percival Graves was in love with Laura.


	31. Our Destiny

**Author's Note: Surprise! I updated yesterday (Saturday) and now I'm updating a day later! Be sure to read chapter 30 first or you'll be spoiled!**

 **Chapter 31- Our Destiny**

 _December 1926_

Laura and Minali headed into the San Francisco office as planned, pretending to be coming in to do their work. It was just as Laura remembered it. She led Minali straight to Head Auror Emma Nichols office. Emma was the new head Auror in San Francisco and the one that Laura and Minal were to report to.

Laura had met and worked with Emma two years ago, the last time she was in the city. The day that they had caught Philip Noonan. The day Laura had found out that Dougal had been living with another woman. The day Emma became the Deputy Head Auror.

Won-Il had retired in early 1925, just a handful of months after his Deputy Head Auror had been demoted. Laura wasn't sure why he felt that way, but Won-Il had apparently blamed himself for his second-in-command's lapse of judgment. Laura learned in the days after that Orla and Dougal had been together for almost three years, secretly, of course. Laura did wonder if perhaps Won-Il knew and that's why he felt so guilty.

Emma didn't look too different, two years on, but her once long blonde hair was now in a short bob. It did somehow make her look more menacing. The way she carried herself reminded Laura of Graves, with her chin up and shoulders squared. Even when standing behind her desk, Emma Nichols had quite a presence.

"I received the Directors owl yesterday. I admit to being a little…confused as to why he would send two of his top Aurors for the likes of Greene, Mortimer, and Jones. They're hardly worth the effort if you ask me. But, alas, we do as the Director commands, do we not?" Emma commented, walking around her desk to shake the hands of the two women. Emma gave Laura a knowing look.

She likely wondered, quietly, why Graves would send Laura back to San Francisco, even two years later.

So did Laura.

Her office was much more inviting than Graves' was. Painted a lilac purple, it was decorated with paintings and photos of what Laura assumed were family and friends of the 40-something Auror. It felt warm. While Graves' office wasn't necessarily cold, even now it didn't feel like Laura should be there. Although she had some good memories with Graves inside of his office, she still felt like it was more of a monument than an office.

But a monument to what?

Minali shrugged. "I suppose we must. He _is_ our director," she answered, though Laura could tell her heart was not quite in it. Laura wondered just what Minali and Graves had argued about recently. The pair had worked together for almost ten years, but it all seemed for nothing lately.

"Well, we've set up a cubicle for you. It's quite roomy as you might remember, Laura, don't worry," Emma said. She gestured to the door. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. We try to be a friendly bunch." Her smile was large and bright, but faltered for a moment. Almost as if she suddenly remembered what got Dougal demoted.

A thought came to Laura that she hadn't ever thought to have.

Did Orla still work here? Were she and Dougal still together?

Laura smiled back at Emma, trying to ignore the thoughts of the woman that briefly ruined her life. "Cheers, ma'am."

As Laura and Minali walked to their cubicle, Laura briefly wondered if they might go to Emma for help. But Laura shook the thought off; she didn't want to put the woman in a tough position. Laura knew how seriously Emma took her job. No, Laura would not do that to Emma.

Especially if this turned around in Laura and Minali's face.

Laura was surprised to find it was the same cubicle she had sat in two years ago. The cubicle was quite spacious. Two desks pushed together to form an L gave them a nice set up. With the walls of the cubicle, they would be able to work closely and in secret. Not that they were really planning to work much.

"Let's find Dougal," Minali whispered, eager to start and get back to New York.

Laura shook her head. " _I'll_ talk to him; you pretend to go over the files. If anyone asks, I'm in the bathroom or whatever."

Minali moved to argue, but Laura gave her a quick look. There would be no argument. There was no way Dougal would help if Minali was there. Laura needed to talk to him on her own. If he would even help _her_.

The Auror's office was large and packed full with charmed cubicles. It was almost like navigating a maze to find Dougal's cubicle. She paused outside of it, her heart beat speeding up. It had been two years since she last saw Dougal and it hadn't ended well.

Who _was_ she kidding? There was no way Dougal would lie for them. Maybe she should go to Emma, after all?

"Whoever is out there, I can hear you breathing, can't I?" a familiar, harsh voice said from inside the cubicle.

Laura silently cursed herself. The man had the ears of a dog. She stepped around the corner and into the cubicle, looking unfortunately sheepish. So much for being strong in front of him.

"Laura?" Dougal cried out, springing up from his chair, surprised to see her. He looked almost the same. His hair was a little whiter, there were a few more wrinkles, but he still looked like the same Dougal she had fallen in love with.

"Good morning, Dougal. How are you doing?" she asked quietly.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" he asked, looking her up and down. Did she look much different two years on? Laura wasn't sure if he was referring to his cubicle or just San Francisco in general.

She shrugged. "Look, I know this is mightily uncomfortable, but I need to ask a favor of you."

Dougal guffawed rather loudly and sat back down in his chair, shaking his head. "Rich, coming from you."

Laura tried not to roll her eyes. This was what she was hoping to avoid. Awkward didn't even begin to cover the situation before her. The idea that _he_ blamed _her_ for what he had done. _Men_.

"It wasn't even my idea, this, but Minali and I needed to ask it of you. It's important, Dougal," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. She had nothing to be afraid of. Dougal had lied to her. Dougal had put her and Benjamin in a horrible position when he turned his back on them to go to Orla.

Crossing his arms tightly on his chest, he raised an eyebrow. "What's the favor then, lass?"

Laura gritted her teeth. What if this backfired? What if he turned them in? What would their punishment be for defying Graves?

"We need you to cover for us. Minali and I need to return to New York, but we'd like people to think we're here. Someone needs to cover for us."

"Why do you need people to think you're here?"

She shrugged again. "Because we're supposed to be here."

"So why do you need to go back to New York?"

Laura looked over her shoulder and then back at Dougal, her eyes narrowed. She needed a lie. And quick. "The President no longer trusts Minali and I. That's why she made Graves send us here. We want to go back and see what she's up to. Dig into why she doesn't trust us," Laura explained. Not too far from the truth. She really _did_ think Picquery no longer trusted her. And it was something she might have to look into.

"Picquery, really?" Dougal commented. He almost whistled.

"She thinks I've gotten…soft when it comes to my family," Laura said. "Given recent circumstances."

"Only an idiot would think that you, of all people, would join Grindelwald and his fantatics."

Laura smirked. It was almost like old times. "I don't know if I would call Seraphina Picquery an idiot, but plenty of people have always thought I was a plant."

Dougal stared up at Laura for a moment, studying her. "Are you?"

The question hung in the air. That he even slightly felt the need to ask, whether because he believed it or was curious, hurt. Did he still think about how easily Laura had woken Orla up from her coma? The coma that only Laura knew about? Could she help it that she knew too many of her fathers secrets?

Perhaps Dougal realized how hurtful his question was, because he moved on to another topic. "Why should I help you? Surely _Graves_ would cover for you," he said with a bite.

" _You're_ the one that made a fool of yourself, Dougal. Not me. Not Graves. It's not his fault. And no, he can't cover for me. I won't ask him to. He had to follow the Presidents order. Now, will you cover for us or not? I need to know if I have to obliviate you or not."

"I didn't…," he trailed off. "He didn't have to demote me in front of everyone." He sounded like a hurt little boy.

Laura rolled her eyes. "You lied to me. You probably lied to Orla. And then…you put Benjamin in danger by leaving him alone with Noonan of all people! You don't get to dictate anything, Dougal. You're lucky you didn't get fired!" Laura whispered angrily, so tired of him still acting like a petulant child.

More silence, but Laura could see he was thinking. He looked uncomfortable, shifting under her glare.

 _Good,_ Laura thought. _He should feel uncomfortable._

"Fine. Go back to New York. Although why you would want to be there when some beast is wreaking havoc, I don't know. But be it on your head. I'll make sure no one questions what's going on. They'll all think you're here." He turned his chair back around and picked up his quill.

Laura turned on her heel after a moment and began stepping out of his cubicle.

"Good luck. I have a feeling you'll need it," Dougal added over his shoulder.

Laura paused before moving on. She headed back to the cubicle she and Minali were sharing to pass on the good news.

Minali, to her credit, was diligently going over the files for Greene, Mortimer, and Jones. She hardly noticed when Laura took the chair next to her. After finishing whatever note she was writing, Minali finally looked up.

"He'll cover for us. But we better be quick about it. We'll need to come back and actually catch these losers."

Minali smiled. "Brilliant."


	32. Samadhi

**Author's Note: Isanxd, don't worry, Percival & Laura's story isn't ending anytime soon!**

 **Chapter 32- Samadhi**

 _December 1924_

New York was in the fierce grip of winter. The snow had fallen in giant heaps, covering the city a sometimes beautiful, but often annoying layer of white snow. Laura's morning and evening walks to and from work gave her a chance to breathe and just enjoy the outdoors.

Since her realization that her boss was in love with her, Laura had been avoiding him. Not to the point where it was incredibly obvious, she hoped, but enough that Graves had noticed something was different.

She felt bad about it, but she had no idea how to proceed.

Laura was in love Percival Graves; that much was absolutely true to her now. But was she over thinking it? Did he actually love her? Or maybe he just cared about her?

Or maybe she was making everything up in her head, creating a narrative that simply didn't exist.

Queenie had read her mind, Laura knew that much. Even though Laura was getting better at keeping Queenie out, once she had returned from San Francisco, she was too raw, too open. Queenie knew almost everything.

The shock in her eyes told Laura everything she needed to know.

Needless to say, Laura had been avoiding a lot of people.

In November, Hinton was finally ready to go back out into the field. Graves had paired Laura and Hinton back up. In the past month, the pair had gone on three raids and it was as if nothing had ever gone wrong. They melded together and their partnership was stronger than ever.

Laura was so glad to have Hinton back. Not that she hadn't enjoyed working with Tina, but there was something calming about working with Hinton.

Maybe it was that raid in Kalamazoo that united them.

Graves had sent them, via Limus and his smug face, on a stakeout in downtown on a Friday morning. The pair had set up at a Muggle café across the street from the building they were watching. Laura had charmed them both with a slight warming charm as she drank tea and Hinton enjoyed black coffee.

"Why are you avoiding the Director?" Hinton asked suddenly, sipping his coffee nonchalantly.

Laura set her cup down on the saucer, glaring at her partner. "I'm not _avoiding_ Graves."

"Ever since you got back from San Fran, you've barely looked at him. Maybe nobody else noticed, but I did. And I also noticed that Graves isn't happy about it," Hinton commented as if he was talking about the weather.

She tried not to growl. She thought she had been careful, but Laura had forgotten that Hinton noticed certain things that nobody else did. He was a better investigator than people realized.

"What happened?"

Not even Tina had asked Laura what happened in San Francisco. Everyone recognized that something had gone wrong, but given her last two major events, nobody dared broach the subject. Instead, they all gossiped, knowing little other than Noonan was caught and the Deputy Head Auror had been demoted.

Laura crossed her legs and bounced her foot in the air. Could she tell him?

"You remember Dougal?" she asked quietly, finally decided she didn't want to have too many secrets from Hinton. She would have to tell him the truth about her family one day. He knew a little bit, but not the important pieces.

"That Auror that had his eyes on you?" Hinton asked.

Laura nodded. "He's been…visiting me. Turns out, he's in a relationship with another Auror in San Francisco. Bad enough, but he abandoned a duel with Noonan, leaving an Auror without help, to run to his lady love's side," she explained, not able to meet her partner's eyes.

"Holy shit. That's really…that's awful, Laura. So why avoid Graves?" he pressed.

Laura shrugged. "Graves had to demote Dougal because of his actions and I am fairly certain that Graves knows about Dougal and I. So I guess I'm just embarrassed." It wasn't a complete lie. She was embarrassed that Graves knew about her affair with Dougal, but she was even more confused by the fact that Graves might very well be in love with her.

Hinton was quiet for a minute, staring across the street, lost in his own thought.

"I wanted to warn you against getting involved with another Auror," he finally said in a quiet, strained voice. "I saw the way he looked at you. The way he defended you against Limus."

Laura thought back to that day in San Francisco and remembered the look on Hinton's face. And suddenly the realization smacked her hard in the face.

"Hitcher."

Hinton nodded sadly. "I loved Hitch, even with all of her faults. And she loved me. I wanted to warn you, but I couldn't. I should have."

Laura smiled. "I probably wouldn't have listened."

Hinton looked at Laura, a half smile on his face. "I'm not going to advocate for having a relationship with our boss, but…don't ignore him. Don't be afraid to live. You know better than any of us how life never goes as planned. Talk to Graves. Clear the air, whatever. But, for Merlin's sake, _don't_ avoid him."

Sighing, Laura nodded. She knew Hinton was right. Life was too short for Aurors. She shouldn't avoid Graves.

The year was ending and with it, Laura resolved to leave all of the negativity behind. She'd leave Dougal behind. And she'd leave her fear of falling for Graves behind.

Maybe nothing would ever happen between them, but it wasn't worth it to be so worried. Life was better, she thought, with Graves in her life.


	33. Dreamscape

**Chapter 31- Dreamscape**

 _January 1925_

The announcement had come as a surprise, at least to Laura. January 5th had begun like any other day. Laura settled at her desk after greeting Tina with a large smile. She pulled out her file on Eddie "Mace" Gibbons, a 55-year-old Grindelwald follower that seemed to be intent on killing and torturing muggles until he was 100.

The clock struck 9am as President Picquery strolled down the hallway and into the Auror's Office, startling everyone. It was beyond rare to see Picquery in their office. About once a year she would pass their office on her way to yell at Graves, but she almost never stopped to speak to them. She was intimidating in her dark blue robe gown and matching hair wrap; an imposing figure to be sure.

Everyone sat up straight at their desks, fearing what their slightly scary President was here to tell them.

Graves stood about a foot to her right, with Limus and Carneirus on his right, their chins held high. Graves, however, looked stony faced as always, not betraying the reason for the President's visit.

"Good morning, Auror's. As some of you may have heard, I accepted Clary Johnson's retirement last week from the position of Head of Magical Law Enforcement. Johnson gave MACUSA ten years of hard work in the position but decided she was ready to retire. When she let me know last year, I began the arduous task of finding a suitable replacement. Today, I can announce that your own Percival Graves will take over the position."

Murmurs spread throughout the office. Laura looked over at Hinton next to her. His eyebrows were raised in surprise and she noticed his lips had been pulled thin.

Picquery held up her hands to silence the room and the result was instant. "Rest assured, Graves will remain Director of Magical Security. He will simply add the duties to his list. As such, Chief Limus and Captain Carneirus will remain in their same positions, but will take on more duties. I expect nothing but the best of all of you." She glanced over at Graves, who had remained silent and stony face, before addressing the Auror's once more. "Well, get back to work," she ordered before turning on her heel and walking away, her robe dress swishing behind her.

Laura sat back in her chair, her mind running through what the promotion would mean. Would she see less of Graves? Would Limus essentially be in charge? He still sort of hated her, though he had calmed down since she caught Philip Noonan and brought him back to New York.

"Merlin help us if this means Limus is going to be ordering us around even more," Hinton whispered, leaning towards Laura, reading her mind.

She looked over at her old partner and smiled. "Maybe he'll avoid us and let Carnie deal with us."

Hinton smirked. "We would be so lucky."

Laura leaned forward on her desk as Graves finally stepped up to speak, waiting until Picquery was gone. The office quieted down once again, waiting for their reverent leader to speak.

"Nothing is changing. We will continue to work as always. You may see less of me, but I will always be here. Limus and Carneirus may give out assignments from time to time, but rest assured they always come from me. Nothing is changing. I will continue to expect nothing but the best from you and I know you all will do your best. Now you can get back to work."

His eyes swept across the room and Laura could have sworn he lingered on her for just a moment before moving on.

She was probably just imagining things.

As Graves headed back to his office, Limus took one step towards the Auror's and glared at everyone. Laura took that as meaning that she, and everyone else, better get to their work.

She returned to her file, but couldn't really concentrate. Laura leaned on her left hand as she wondered about Graves and his new position. Laura had met Clary Johnson a few times. Clary had been Graves' boss and the only one between him and Picquery, but she essentially let him do as he pleased given how good he was at his job. She stopped by his office a few times a year, and apparently he sent her weekly reports, but the pair didn't seem to see much of each other. Laura had to speak with Clary after the incident at the bookstore and then again after Hinton's injury. A few weeks before Clary retired she sought Laura out to ask her about vacation spots in England.

Laura told her to avoid the country altogether.

Clary, from what Laura remembered, was busy all of the time and worked a lot of hours. Laura liked being able to speak with Graves from time to time, especially after the drama in San Francisco. Would she still be able to stop by his office? Or would he be too busy to speak to her?

Why was she acting like it mattered?

But it did matter. Her weekends were boring. She often spent her Saturdays at the bookstore, hoping that Graves would come in and she wouldn't be lost in her sadness. Laura still liked going to the Goldstein's for dinner, but Queenie was always reading her mind.

She needed to work on her occulmency again.

After her conversation with Hinton, Laura had gone and spoken with Graves. She apologized for avoiding him and he forgave her. The smile he had given had set her heart beating too fast.

"Laura?" a voice ripped Laura from her thoughts.

She started, jumping up from her desk, scattering papers around. "Wha-?" Laura looked up to see Tina standing in front of her desk.

"It's time to go," she said, pointing over at the clock on the wall that said it was just after 5pm. Laura looked around the office and saw that only Minali was still working, which wasn't surprising given she was tracking Logan, who was allegedly back in the U.S.

Laura sat up straight, frowning. Had she been daydreaming all day? She remembered getting up for lunch, but otherwise…

Limus would kill her if he found out she had done shit all.

"Fuck," she whispered, staring down at the papers on her desk. Laura looked back up at Tina, who was staring at her in concern, and smiled. "I'm packing up, I swear." To prove her point, she began pulling her papers together.

Tina frowned at Laura, but nodded. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Night, Teen," Laura said as Tina turned and began leaving the office.

Once Tina was out of sight, Laura stopped fixing her paperwork and sighed heavily.

"Limus and Carnie are gone for the night," Minali said out loud, "but only because Graves made Limus go home. He told me he doesn't want Limus to get a big head."

Laura looked over at Minali and smiled. "How long ago did Graves leave?" she asked.

"Oh, Laura, please. Graves said he may add an apartment to his office since he'll be here so much," Minali joked as she gathered her belongings to leave.

 _How did I miss so much?_ Laura wondered. _How could I get so lost in my thoughts? Why did nobody say anything?_

Laura closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs from her mind. She returned to her attempt to clean up her desk. She took her files on Mace and put them back in the folder, ready to be taken out and actually looked over on Tuesday.

Minali came back to tap on Laura's desk. "What got you distracted today?" she asked.

Laura shrugged, sighing again. "I'm not sure. Just a bad day, I guess."

Minali gave her a look that Laura couldn't quite read. Her eyes narrowed as she studied Laura. "Get some sleep, yeah?

Nodding, Laura pulled her coat off the back of her chair. "I promise," she said with a smile.

The older woman nodded and turned on her heel and left the office, leaving Laura all alone. Laura looked around the office, not sure why a sudden wave of nostalgia rippled over her. She couldn't remember the last time that everyone left early. Coat in hand, Laura finally began leaving the office, but once in the hallway, she paused and looked the other way towards Graves' office.

Should she risk it?

Laura looked all around her, but it was silent on the floor.

She made up her mind quickly.

Laura turned and headed towards Graves' office, her footsteps loud in the empty hallway. She clutched her winter coat tightly in her left hand, unsure of why she was nervous. Graves hadn't turned her away from his office for more than a year. She wasn't sure if he liked her coming to his office, but she was certain if he had a problem with it he would say something.

Pausing outside of his door, Laura pondered once more if she should be bothering him after hours. _He must be busy,_ she thought, _if he was still at work so soon after his promotion._

She shook her head and knocked gently on his door.

"Enter," she heard his voice bellow from inside the office.

Laura pushed open the door and smiled as she saw Graves sitting behind his desk, a stack of paperwork on it like she had never seen before. His desk was almost always clean and with just a few items. The books he normally had decorating his desk were instead on the floor to the left of it. The box that was usually on the right side of his desk was missing as well.

Graves sat up at seeing her and motioned her in. Laura stepped inside and shut the door behind her.

She crossed the room quickly and after throwing her coat on the back of a seat, sat in a chair in front of his desk, noticing there were now two chairs in front of his desk. Laura looked behind her and saw he had a rocking chair in the corner of the room with a lamp and small table that hadn't been there before. He clearly was trying to make the office more like a home, she figured.

"Different, isn't it?" he commented as she looked around.

Laura looked back at him and smiled. "Just a little, but enough. Minali joked that you were wanting to turn the office into a home."

Graves smiled almost bitterly as he looked down at the mountain of paperwork on his desk. "Time demands it, I suppose."

She frowned as she watched him. Then an idea came to her. "Well, do you think you pause for a few minutes?" she asked, a playful smile on her lips.

Graves looked up at her, curiosity on his face. "I would be deliriously happy to step away from my paperwork. What did you have in mind?"

Laura tried to ignore the way his voice dipped dangerously low on his last sentence.

"I know you have alcohol in here," was all she said.

Graves chuckled as he leaned back in chair. He picked up his wand from the edge of his desk and gave it a little flick. One of his cabinets opened and a half-full bottle of Firewhiskey came flying towards Graves. He grabbed the bottle with his left hand and set it down as two glasses followed out of the cabinet. Graves guided the glasses to his desk and shut the cabinet.

Laura waited patiently as Graves poured two glasses of Firewhiskey. She was amused by the fact that he didn't seem to care that the glasses and bottle were sitting on top of what was probably important paperwork. She figured he must have a lot of spells that he knew in case he did spill.

But he didn't spill a drop.

Once the glasses were poured, Graves picked up a glass in each hand, stood and leaned over his desk to hand Laura her glass. She stood up slightly from her chair to accept the glass, feeling a familiar burn from his skin when their fingers brushed against each other. She didn't miss the look Graves gave her when they touched.

Slowly, they both sat back down. Laura raised her glass up and tilted it in Graves' direction. "To the new Head of Magical Law Enforcement. May everything go smoothly," she toasted him.

He tilted his head at her. "Thank you," he said before he took a sip of his drink, his eyes focused on Laura as she did the same. They held eye contact as they both relished the harshness of the Firewhiskey.

Laura held the glass at her lips for a moment, relishing in the heat of the drink and the coldness of the glass. She could feel the heat flushing from her cheeks to her stomach to between her thighs under Graves' stare.

She wondered if he knew the effect he had her.

Given his stare, he must know.

Laura crossed her legs and clenched her thighs tightly. He held her stare and she could tell there was something in his eyes. Was he trying to encourage her? Or was he just having some fun after a long day?

She took another sip of her whiskey under his deep stare. As she swallowed the spicy liquid, she could feel heat begin to creep up her neck. Was it the whiskey or was it the heat growing in between her thighs?

Shifting slightly in her chair, Laura clutched her glass tightly. Maybe this had been a bad idea.

And then she watched as Graves' left hand casually dropped to his lap, disappearing from her eye line. Laura held her breath, waiting for whatever would come next. Ever so slightly, his arm began moving.

Was he touching himself?

Was he thinking of her and only her?

Laura swallowed hard, her eyes meeting his again. And then he smiled, lifting his drink to his lips again and swallowing what was left in his glass. As he set his glass on the desk in front of him, Laura drained what was left in hers, her eyes watching his arm move back and forth, his hand doing something unknown behind his desk.

With confidence she shouldn't possess when dealing with her boss, Laura set her glass on the desk, pushed herself up from her chair, and walked around the desk, her eyes never leaving Graves'. She briefly looked away from his gorgeous eyes, just long enough to see his thick fingers were stroking the outline of his cock.

Their eyes connected and Laura could swear she felt a spark between them. Was this a good idea?

No, of course it wasn't a good idea.

But it was going to happen.

She leaned against his desk, her hands gripping the edge. Graves' didn't move, except for his hand that continued to stroke his cock outside of his pants. He kept his eyes on her, a small smile still on his lips.

Laura tried to settle her heart as it beat quickly in her chest. Having sex with another Auror was one thing, but coming on to your boss was a completely different thing.

And yet here she was.

Before she could do anything or say anything, Graves pushed his chair back and stood up quickly. He grabbed her by her hips and pulled her to the middle of his desk, her legs unconsciously opening to greet his hips. And then his lips were on hers. Fierce, harsh, and with a taste of Firewhiskey, Laura melted into his lips. She had dreamed of this for so long and now it was happening. She reached up with a hand to finally feel his hair. Slightly greasy from the pomade he used, Laura gripped the hair in her fingers, using it to pull him closer into her.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, her skirt inching further up, pulling him closer so she could feel his erection on her thigh.

Graves groaned into her mouth, his fingers digging into her hips. She wanted his hands all over her body. She wanted to feel his lips on her pussy; to feel his cock inside of her.

He seemed to sense her desire and pulled away, his fingers releasing their hold on her hips. Her lips burned from his touch, like her skin always felt after he touched her. Graves eyed her, a wicked smile on his lips. He pulled her skirt up, inch by inch, to reveal her soaked underwear.

Then his face was buried in her thighs, his tongue lapping the outside of her underwear, sending intense pleasure throughout her body. She gripped the edge of the desk and leaned back, knocking over papers on his desk. She clenched her thighs around his head, begging him to keep going.

Graves paused in his licking as he removed her panties, throwing them to the ground. His mouth attached to her clit, sucking gently as he slowly entered a finger into her pussy. Laura started to groan, but then bit down on her lip. She couldn't be sure they were completely alone.

Her head dipped back and her eyes fluttered shut as her boss brought her to a delightful orgasm that rippled through her body. She released her left hand from the desk and grabbed at Graves' head again, pushing his face even further into her just as he slid a second finger into her pussy.

She wriggled on the table under his touch, messing up the papers on his desk even more. As the pressure built up in her again, she couldn't take it. She wanted him, not his fingers.

"For fucks sake, Percival," she breathed, "fuck me." She let go of his hair and grabbed the desk again.

He removed his mouth from her clit, but kept his fingers inside of her. Laura listened as he unzipped his fly. She looked up at him as he finally removed his fingers. Their eyes connected once more while he positioned himself at her entrance.

Laura wrapped her legs around his waist again; her eyebrow raised as she silently ordered him to move. And then he pushed inside of her, his eyes closing in pleasure as he let her relax around him.

His hands gripped her hips once more as he opened his eyes and began to move, slowly at first. She tightened her legs around him, pulling him as deep into her as she could. Dougal had been a good lover, especially for his age, but he had nothing on Graves. His cock was long and thick, an experience Laura had not had before.

He pumped in and out of her, his flesh slapping against hers in a peaceful rhythm. It didn't take long for him to bring her to bliss again. She enjoyed it for a moment before she reached up with her left hand and grabbed his bicep. Laura then used her right hand to push up from the desk. As she came up to meet Graves, he pulled her closer to the edge of the desk and pushed in and out of her again.

Their lips met again and she tasted sweat and Firewhiskey on his lips. Laura wanted to drown in his kisses, his touch. All of the times she had fantasized about what it would be like to fuck Graves, but nothing could compare to actually having him inside of her.

She didn't want this to end.

But as she was thinking it, Graves' thrusts grew more frantic and quick paced. He pumped his cock in and out of her pussy, groaning in her mouth as they kissed.

"Laura," he groaned with one final stroke.

They held each other for a moment in the aftermath of his climax, breathing heavily, leaning cheek to cheek. Laura kept her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around her shoulders with her hands still in his hair.

Once their breathing slowed and her heart stopped hammering in her chest, Laura let her legs fall and removed her hands from his hair. She pulled back from him and stared at him. His eyes were still closed and he had a look of contentment on his face that she hadn't seen before.

"It's getting late," she finally said quietly.

Graves smiled. "It is," he said, opening his eyes. He moved back from her, putting his cock back inside his shorts. He pulled up his trousers and zipped them up before helping Laura off the desk, smoothing down her skirt as she stood on her shaky legs.

Laura looked around at the mess on his desk, smiling sheepishly. "Quite a mess."

"Easy to clean up." Graves suddenly reached out, stroking Laura's chin gently. "Get home, Laura. I'll see you in the morning."

"Don't stay too late," she said as she moved around the desk to head for the door, grabbing her coat from the chair as she passed it. She was surprised by his gentle action, but knew better than to question anything. _Let sleeping dogs lie,_ she thought.

She reached for the door and paused, looking back at Graves. He had sat back down in his chair and was moving the papers around, trying to organize them. She couldn't help but smile.

"Good night," she said.

Graves looked up at her once more. "Good night."


	34. Wheel of Destiny

**Chapter 34- Wheel of Destiny**

Laura found it hard to sleep that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the look on Graves' face after they had finished. Was it her or was it just the act of fucking that made him so content?

She couldn't say.

Work got very busy after that. It seemed like the universe was punishing Laura for fucking her boss, because she ended up with case after case. Eddie the Mace showed up in downtown New York and had to be arrested and then questioned for days. Dark wizard after dark wizard came to New York City and Laura and Hinton were given some of the hardest cases.

Graves' new job kept him plenty busy as well.

Which meant they hadn't seen much of each other since January 5th.

Every night away from his touch meant Laura's dreams were getting more and more graphic. She dreamt of his touch every night, wishing her fingers were his cock.

At work, they were polite when they rarely saw each other, though Laura did feel slightly awkward now that she knew what his cock looked and felt like. None of their coworkers had time to even notice the awkwardness, for which Laura was very grateful. She needed to get herself under control.

With every week that passed, Laura grew more and more convinced that it was a onetime thing. The thought did sadden her, but she also found herself accepting the idea. He was, after all, her boss. Sleeping with her boss once was dangerous enough.

A blizzard hit New York City the final week of January, making it hard for the Auror's to do their jobs. It was the first time all month that Laura had spent more than a couple of hours at her desk. Denny Jorgensen had been sighted in New York just before the blizzard hit, so Laura was doing her research.

As she tended to do, her desk was covered in papers from his thick file. She had a piece of parchment in front of her that she was writing illegible notes on as she read paper after paper. Jorgensen wasn't too violent, but he had a habit of kidnapping muggles and dropping them off in a completely different country.

Quite unsettling for the muggles involved.

A lot of the Aurors had long gone home by the time 5 o'clock had rolled around, leaving at times when the blizzard settled down. And once the big hand landed on 5, everyone that was left cleared out, eager to get home. Laura was not so eager. Without Dougal visiting on the weekends, her flat was lonelier than ever. She even felt it more during the week than she had when they were together. Every corner of her flat seemed to be a reminder of her stupidity.

Would she ever learn?

After sitting silently at her desk for several minutes and watching everyone pack up and leave, Laura finally started pulling her papers together. Her joints ached as she moved; an unfortunate side effect of sitting at her desk all day without getting up and moving.

At her pace, it took Laura almost thirty minutes before her desk was cleaned and she was ready to leave the office. She stood next to her desk for a moment, her coat, scarf, and hat in her hands, regarding the empty office. The last time she was the last one to leave the office, she had stopped at Graves' office.

Laura walked out to the hallway and looked down towards Graves' office. Was he still there? If she went there, what would happen?

 _Well,_ she mused to herself, _the weather would be no worse now or in thirty more minutes._

Her feet guided her down the hallway in a familiar path towards her boss' office. Her boss.

 _Remember that,_ she told herself. _Don't be stupid._

But she still knocked on his door, still opened it when he called out, still took her familiar seat, tossing her coat and things on the other chair.

It wasn't much different than it had been earlier in the month. His desk was still covered in stacks of paperwork. How much did the poor man have to do each day?

"Still working?" he asked, his eyes drifting between the piece of parchment he was writing on and Laura's face.

"Jorgensen's case is very new to me," she answered. "And his file is thick, considering his favorite activity is to simply displace muggles."

Graves' raised an eyebrow, though he had long gotten used to the fact she would never use the term no-maj. "Avoiding the storm, I imagine." He paused in his writing to stare at her.

"I don't like apparting in inclement weather," she told him. "I almost splinched myself in a horrible rainstorm back in '18. I guess I've been avoiding it ever since. And it's not great to walk home in a blizzard."

"So you take your time at work."

Laura shrugged, looking around the office, her eyes still catching new items in his glass cabinets.

"It's been a busy month."

She looked at him, her face still, no emotion. "Very. Have you made any headway on your paperwork?" she questioned, her head motioning towards the stacks of papers.

Graves smiled. "This is, unfortunately for me, new paperwork. Every day brings a new stack of reports." He looked back down at the paper in front of him and began writing again, his brow creasing and his smile disappearing.

Laura chewed on her words. Did she dare?

She had only one life to live, right?

"So…drinks?" she suggested.

The man set his quill down, a small smile crossing his face, as he once again brought the bottle of Firewhiskey out and two glasses. Laura watched his movements, smooth as if he did this all of the time.

A sudden thought appeared in her mind. What if he did? What if she wasn't the only one he had fucked in his office? Had he slept with other Aurors?

Laura had never heard rumors, but if no one knew about her and Graves, then she wouldn't know about anyone else.

 _Shut up,_ she begged herself. _Just shut up._

But Dougal's face appeared in her mind. The way he had looked at Orla on the ground. The way he had lied to her for months. How Laura had no idea. How smooth Dougal had been. How smooth Graves was.

"Laura?" Graves' voice suddenly pushed through her betraying thoughts.

Laura shook her head, forcing the tears from falling. "Sorry," she said as she reached out to take the glass from the desk. She quickly took a long gulp of the harsh liquid, wishing it could wash away all of the bad thoughts in her mind.

Why did she care if Graves was fucking other women? They weren't an item. This was nothing.

This was _nothing_.

She gulped down the rest of the Firewhiskey in one. She could see Graves quietly sipping at his drink, watching her with interest. Laura tried to ignore his stare. Would he ask why she suddenly changed in just seconds?

No, he wouldn't because this was nothing.

"Come," he said, setting his half-full glass on the desk in front of him. He held his arms open, indicating he wanted her to come to him.

Heat filled her core. Laura slowly pushed herself to her feet, her eyes glued to his. She put her glass on the desk and began to walk around it, her fingers trailing along the edge of the wood desk, feeling its grooves and marks from years of use.

Biting her lip, she paused briefly before she backed herself onto Graves' lap, her back resting against his left arm, while his right hand settled on her legs, crawling under her skirt to stroke her bare skin.

How pleased she was to have worn a skirt today.

His left arm held her back, his fingers trailing up and down her back. It was oddly sensual and comforting. Laura leaned into his chest, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her face into his neck, breathing in his comforting cologne. His scorpion tie pins glittered on his lapel.

They had no right to sit like this, to sit like a _couple_.

No right.

This was going to take her down in the end.

His hand made its way to her ass, giving it a squeeze, before moving to her front and running his fingers over growing wetness. Laura sighed into his neck as he moved his thick fingers lazily and she opened her legs.

How many women had he done this with?

Laura was tired of thinking. She lifted her head, guided his head towards her, and kissed him. The action seemed to spur Graves on; his fingers suddenly were inside of her underwear, pushing one, two fingers into her dripping pussy, moving in and out quickly.

Groaning into his mouth, Laura shifted in his lap, feeling his cock beneath her ass. Merlin, how bad did she want him?

She held his face in her hands as they kissed, running her fingernails along his stubble-lined cheeks. All thoughts disappeared from her mind as he brought her to orgasm again. She clenched around his fingers, moaning a little too loudly into his mouth.

When she relaxed, the orgasm subsiding, Laura moved away from Graves. He protested, but Laura put a finger on his lips to hush him. She stood up, just long enough to reposition herself, this time with her legs on either side of his waist, her knees on the chair. As soon as she sat back down on his lap, Graves had enveloped her in his arms, pulling him flush against his chest, his lips crushing into hers. He seemed intent on tasting her thoroughly. Laura grabbed his face again, loving the feeling of his skin beneath her fingers.

The pair seemed to be in sync, getting the same idea at the same time. As she removed her hands from his face, he moved his hands down to her skirt, pulling it up and exposing her ass to the air. Laura made quick work of the buttons and zipper on his pants and reached down into his shorts, feeling his length with her hands for the first time.

His cock felt even thicker and longer in her hand than she had realized earlier this month. How impossibly unfair, not only was he talented and handsome, but he had an amazing cock as well.

Laura couldn't help but smile as she gently stroked his length. Graves kept his grip on her ass, but his head fell back, eyes closed, as a hiss left his mouth. She tightened her grip ever so slightly and this time he moaned.

As much as she might want to tease him, she was also teasing herself by denying herself his length. She pushed herself up, with one hand pulling her panties to the side while the other held his cock firmly, Laura pushed herself down onto his thick cock, moaning as his full length filled her.

She closed his eyes as she adjusted to his cock again. Taking a few breaths, she finally opened her eyes and found Graves staring at her with wonder in his eyes. He released his hold on her ass and grabbed her face with his hands, pulling to him and kissing her again. She took the opportunity to start rocking on his cock.

They moved together, him hungrily devouring her mouth, while she enjoyed the feeling of him inside of her. She wanted to feel his chest, wanted to see him. Laura moved her hands to his chest, gripping the fabric of his waistcoat and shirt at his chest, but dared not remove it. As much as she wanted to feel his chest, this would have do for now.

Maybe one day they could fuck in a bed. Or at least on a couch.

They kept moving together, their pace quickening and their breathing growing more heavy as they both neared their point of completion. Laura pulled away from his kisses and leaned her forehead on his shoulder, her eyes squeezed shut as another orgasm built inside of her.

"Cum for me," he whispered in her ear, his breath hot and wet, grabbing at her hips. He sucked at her earlobe, something Laura had never experienced before.

A moment later, she exploded in ecstasy, clenching around his cock tightly. She stilled in her movements, biting into the fabric at Graves' shoulder as she let the sensation ride through her.

Once it passed and she could move again, Laura leaned her cheek against Graves' cheek and started moving again. He took it as a sign he could finish, and moved quicker, pumping in and out of her as fast and he could until he finally came, groaning loudly in her ear.

The pair settled, their movements ceasing as they breathed heavily. Graves leaned his head back again, chest heaving with every heavy breath, his hands falling from her waist. Laura paused, watching him for a moment, before she decided to settle her head in the crook of his neck again. If only for a minute.

Nothing lasts forever.

They stayed like that for several moments, their heart beats settling down and their breathing returning to normal.

"Laura," he said quietly. He wanted to say more, she could tell by the way his Adam's apple moved, but he said nothing more.

Did he want her gone?

"No one has to know what we do," she whispered, half hoping he wouldn't hear her. There was an odd sadness in her voice. Being with him like this, it was like the muggle thing they called heaven. Yes, she'd love to go home to him at night, to be able to hold his hand in public and call him love in front of other people. But this, this was also good enough.

So much was said between their bodies.

And yet nothing at all.

Graves was silent. And then he shifted, pulling his cock from her core, and wrapping his arms around her, burying his face in her neck.

"No one has to know what we do," he whispered back.


	35. Adyta

**Chapter 35- Adyta**

 _March 1925_

Two months had passed since Laura and Graves had first fucked in his office. They were still sleeping together, at least once a week when they could find time after hours. In his office, when they were alone, Graves was kind and gentle. Outside of his office, he avoided looking at her and they didn't speak much. They tried to keep things neutral, not too far one way or the other so no one would notice.

But today they didn't have a choice.

Logan Crabbe was back in town and had already killed one muggle with the help of his friend Lorne Patterson.

"This is the third time Logan has returned to New York since he attacked the bookstore," Graves said, standing before a group of ten Auror's in the Major Investigations Department. Laura was sitting in-between Minali and Hinton, staring at the file in front of her. "The third time he has harassed citizens of New York."

It had been almost a year since Laura and Graves had been attacked. Almost a year since she finally had to face her past. But had she really?

She clenched her fist, relief flooding through her that she could still use her hand. The pain, a year later, still came and went. She once accidentally hit her hand on a chair at work and the pain had been so intense, it brought her to her knees. Luckily, no one had noticed as the office had been mostly empty.

Laura was grateful for that.

"I want him found and I want him arrested this time." Laura looked up and saw Graves giving each Auror a steely look. "No more mistakes. He _is_ dangerous and must be dealt with." His eyes landed on Laura, but there wasn't a twitch of anything, just the same steely stare he gave the others. "Am I understood?"

The Aurors nodded with some verbalizing their understanding. Laura tried to ignore the fist squeezing her heart. Could she face Logan for a third time?

She had caught him the first time, arrested him, handed him off to be sent to Azkaban. She had done almost everything right, but he got away.

The second time she had been stupid.

This time…

Laura sighed heavily, looking down at her right hand, still clenched in a fist. Something nudged her left arm and she turned to see Hinton smiling at her.

"He can't take on ten of us," he said in a quiet voice, encouraging her.

"No, I guess not." But she wasn't convinced. She could never be when it came to Logan and her family. They were too dangerous, even on their own. Their arsenal of unknown spells was too large for anyone to not take them seriously.

"Go get ready," Graves ordered.

The sound of chairs scrapping against the floor filled the silent room as the ten Aurors climbed to their feet. Laura took her time, her hand still clenched. She stood up, but leaned on her fists, staring down at the table that wasn't judging her for her past. All of the Aurors knew she was connected to Logan, though not the whole story. But they knew enough.

She waited for them all to go and when the room was silent, she stood up straight and found Graves still standing at the head of the table, the cork board with Logan's picture and information on it stood behind him, reminding her of her failures.

Laura swallowed nervously.

"Unclench," he ordered her, pointing at her wand hand.

She let it relax and found herself letting out a deep breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "I'll be fine."

" _I_ know that." Graves walked around the edge of the table and leaned against it. "How many times do I have to tell you that I trust you with things I wouldn't trust anyone else with? You are very unique, Laura."

She shook her head. "That's not always a good thing. It's not, in my case."

Graves frowned. "You have to be on your game tonight, Laura, or I won't let you go." His voice was harsh, but she could hear the concern. And he was right to be tough on her.

She swallowed hard again. "I know," she whispered. "I've arrested him before," she said in a stronger voice. "And I was alone then." She had a partner at the Ministry, Barker Donaldson, but he had been out sick that fateful day so Laura had gone alone. Stupid, really, but she often made poor decisions when it came to her family and their connections.

Graves didn't say anything. She hadn't really talked to him about that day before, even though he had read the file. But there was so much that weren't in any of the files. Laura had a lot of friends at the Ministry, she was realizing.

"I wasn't able to take Logan to Azkaban because he had injured me too badly. I had to go to hospital and somebody else took him instead. I was there for a couple of weeks and I knew, especially when I heard he had escaped, I knew I couldn't stay in London anymore." She walked over to the board to stare at Logan's photo. "May. May will be two years." She stumbled over her words, stumbled over what she wanted to tell Graves, stumbled over her pain.

He looked around quickly and then reached out to touch her wand hand, gently enclosing it in his own. "Whenever. Take your time. Today or tomorrow, I'll listen."

Laura closed her eyes, wishing she could block out the memories, but instead, she took a deep breath and let it out as she opened her eyes again. She stared into Graves' brown eyes, the brown eyes that she had stared into for so long now.

She _could_ say this.

"I was supposed to marry him," she admitted. Tina knew, and Queenie, but nobody else. Her file might have had a vague mention of Laura and Logan being in some kind of relationship, but Claudius Ridge, her head in London, had kept most of the truth out of the file. Out of respect, he said.

He was saving her, Laura knew now. The confused and slightly betrayed look on Graves' face told her as much. Graves let go of her hand and she immediately missed the contact. What she wouldn't give for him to just hold her in public. But that would never happen.

"Our parents were friends. I was in the same year as his sister Temperance. We were both pure-purebloods," she stumbled over the gross word her parents had repeated to her time and time again. What was the Black family motto? _Toujours Pur_. Always pure. "We were supposed to get married the summer after I graduated from Hogwarts."

"But you escaped."

"I ran. Terrified of being married to him, having his children, terrified of my parents. Dumbledore, one of my professors, helped. He hid me in his home for a short period of time until his contacts at the Ministry got me a new identity. _Laura Maurette_. I cut my hair. And I became an Auror at Dumbledore's pleading. He believed in me when I never did.

"How could I marry Logan?" she said in a whisper. "He was furious afterwards, looking for me everywhere. But I was well hidden. Until…" Laura trailed off, looking at the floor, tears pricking her eyes.

"Until?" Graves pushed gently after he let Laura stand in silence for a minute.

She looked back up at him. "Until I arrested my mother. I had two years of general peace. I was out there, being an Auror, but nobody knew it was me. _I was hidden_. But I caught wind of a case involving my parents. Ridge kept me out of it, of course. It was the right choice, but I just had to get involved."

Graves chuckled, understanding completely.

"I could never duel my father," she suddenly said. Laura had never admitted it out loud. "I-he, he makes spells you know?" Graves nodded, his eyes narrowed in concern. "He used to test some of them and his potions on me and then use his counterspells." She found herself shrugging, like it was something everyone went through. "I was 8." Laura took another deep breath as tears spilled down her cheeks. "So I ignored him and went after my mother. The look on her face when I caught her with a _Stupefy_. Graves, she looked so betrayed. Like _I_ did something wrong?" She shook her head, her brows furrowed. "My dad got away, of course. I took my mom to Azkaban myself, though Ridge wasn't happy about it. I got desk duty for a month afterwards, which nobody understood really."

"Your coworkers didn't know?" Graves asked.

She shook her head. "No. Another way Ridge saved me. He was so impressed by my scores and grades and all of that, but he understood the trouble that would come if people found out I was really Goyle's daughter." She shrugged again. "But Logan found out from my father that I was an Auror. And Logan started looking for me, setting up his 'friends' to get arrested so he could find me. And he found me. And we fought. And I arrested him. But I was hurt."

Graves crossed his arms. "And then you had to leave England."

"You didn't want to hire me," she blurted out. She had always been curious.

He looked sheepish for a second and then nodded, the stony look coming back to his face. His mask when he wanted to hide. "I was afraid that you were like your parents. Ridge mentioned in his letter that you were the daughter of Gray Goyle and I just couldn't shake it. Gray is too dangerous, as you well know."

Laura didn't want to feel hurt. She knew this already. How could she not? And yet, the hand around her heart squeezed harder. "Gray makes the spells, but Logan will use them, as _you_ well know."

Graves nodded.

"I'm fine," she said again, but her voice was stronger and more in control. "If I don't do this, if I don't try, I'll never get closure."

He smiled. "There are other ways to closure, but I'm not going to keep you from this as long as we're clear on one thing."

Laura raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Graves took a step closer, that look in his eyes coming back; that look that made her heart burst. "Come home."


	36. Menace of Vanity

**Author's Note:** **I have read all of the new comments and all I can say is I hope it will all make sense why I did things the way I did in a few chapters? I mean, I make no excuse for my inability to write sex scenes. It's very new to me and I will make mistakes, whether in content or language or what have you, but in regards to how things play out between Graves and Laura, I do actually have a plan. So I hope you'll stick around to see how it goes!**

 **I do want to say that I do actually appreciate all of the comments, positive and not so positive. As hard as it is to read negative comments, they will ultimately, I hope, make me a better writer, so please, feel free to tell me how you feel. I can't change things if I don't know I'm not doing a good job of writing!**

 **Thank you!**

 **Chapter 36- Menace of Vanity**

The ten Aurors gathered for one last time, Graves standing before them with President Picquery at his side. They made quite a pair, Laura had to admit. Graves in his spectacular black suit with red accents and Picquery in her soft gray robe dress with silver accents at her wrists and lapel. She looked solemnly at the group, almost as if she was looking at a group of dead people who just didn't know they were dead yet.

 _We can do this,_ Laura said to herself. _We're not dead yet._

"As I always do, I give you a choice," President Picquery began. "You don't have to go."

Laura always wondered about this. An odd thing for a President to tell the men and women who signed up for this ugly part of the job. They knew what they were facing. Maybe, Laura thought, it was Picquery's way of assuaging herself of any guilt for those that didn't come back.

"Logan Crabbe is not one to underestimate. He is deadly, dangerous, and has a host of spells we know _nothing_ about," Picquery continued, her eyes landing on Laura's. _It's not my fault._ "But if you work together, if you trust one another, you may come home with Logan in handcuffs. Be careful and trust no one but the person next to you."

She paused and then gave a slight tip of her head and left them for their final preparations.

"So doom and gloom," Minali whispered next to Laura. "I don't think she expects us to come back alive."

The thought chilled Laura to her core. If the President didn't believe in the ten best Aurors New York had to offer…

"You have all been in the field before. You've all fought dark wizards. Don't underestimate Crabbe, but remember your training and you'll come home," Graves said, trying to soothe over the dark tone Picquery left. "Now go."

Aurors began disapparating but Laura stayed behind, waiting for his eyes to search out hers. What she wouldn't give for one last kiss. But what did it matter? They were nothing.

Once their eyes connected, she turned on her heel, wand ready in her hand.

When she apparated outside of the apartment building Logan had been seen in, chaos had already erupted. She had barely materialized when someone grabbed her by her arm and pulled her behind a nearby car. Just as she hit the ground, the spot where she had stood blew up, concrete spilling into the air.

"It's a fucking trap, Laura!" Hinton yelled over the sounds of explosions.

Laura looked over at him. Her partner was bleeding from a cut above his eye and his Aurors coat was torn on his left sleeve. How had so much happened in such a short amount of time?

"Somebody-somebody betrayed us?" Laura questioned, albeit more for herself. She should be used to it by now.

Hinton nodded; a grave look on his face. "Logan is out there, but so is Lorne Patterson, Gregor Favila, and…" he gulped nervously, "and Wylda Grogan."

 _Favila. Grogan._

Laura groaned loudly. "The President was right." She looked around quickly, at least two Aurors were on the ground, not moving, but Laura couldn't tell who it was. The other Aurors were all hiding, in alleyways and behind cars, trying to send spells at the people attacking them.

A spell hit the glass of the car window above them, shattering the window and sending glass all over them. Hinton and Laura covered their heads, waiting for the rain of glass to stop. She lowered her arms, looking back at Hinton.

He looked like a rat caught in a trap.

Was this how it would end? Ten of the best Aurors brought down by four dark wizards?

"OH ELLEN!" Logan screamed out.

Everything seemed to go silent as she listened to his taunting. Her name sounded so vile on his lips. The name she hadn't heard in a year, not since she had last run into him.

"Come out and play, my darling love!"

Her mouth went dry as Hinton looked at her with wide eyes. After they went back to work together, Laura chose to trust Hinton with the truth. He seemed okay with it, or rather, as okay as someone could be.

He chose to trust her.

Now Laura could see the fear in Hinton's eyes, see the confusion. He was wondering if he was right to trust her.

"Don't just let them die, Ellen! But you are awfully good at that, aren't you?"

His taunts rang in her ears. His lies spread to her coworkers, the people that had trusted her to have their backs.

Laura's lip curled in anger as she listened to him; listened to him try to turn people against her. She had made a life here, a _good_ life. And Logan Crabbe was not going to take that from her.

Not today and _not_ like this.

She closed her eyes and listened closely, trying to imagine where he was standing. In front of the apartment building they had been going to? In front of the building next door? What other buildings had been in this corner of the street?

"Ellen, don't make this harder than it has to be!" he yelled again, followed by another explosion, this time on the other side of the street.

She disapparated, leaving Hinton alone behind the car. Laura was about ten feet off of her guess, but she did at least apparate behind Logan, which was something. He heard the telltale pop, but didn't turn quick enough. Her wand was up just as his head turned her way, sending an _Expelliarmus_ at him, hitting him in his side.

The look of surprise on his face was pure gold and one that Laura would not quickly forget.

He flew back in the air, that dumb look of surprise still etched on his face until he smashed into the ground, rolling along the hard concrete.

But Laura knew she had no time to celebrate; while she didn't fear Patterson at all, it was Favila and Grogan that Laura knew were the real danger. Although Laura had never dueled Grogan before, she couldn't forget that January night with Hinton in San Francisco.

Laura cast a protection spell just as Grogan came out of hiding to her right. "Take the wounded! Grab Logan, now!" Laura screamed as she and Grogan sent spell after spell at one another, both blocking each one that came their way, the spells destroying the sections of buildings and windows they hit.

This was going to call one hell of an _obliviate_ curse.

"Give it up, _Ellen_ ," Grogan mocked. "You can't win this. You may beat us, but Grindelwald will win. We're too many."

Laura ignored her taunts. If there was one thing she had learned, it was to never indulge crazy.

Around her, Laura became aware that other people were dueling. She wanted to see who it was, see who had come out of their hiding spots, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Grogan. Laura just hoped someone grabbed Logan before he came to.

If he got away again…

She couldn't think about it.

Laura and Grogan kept blocking spells against one another and Laura could see the frustration growing on the others woman's face. Grogan was from Canada, a one-woman killing machine. The difference between her and many of Grindelwald's other followers was that she'd kill anyone, muggle or wizard. It was allegedly one of the reasons why Grindelwald didn't quite care for her.

A dark wizard with "morals".

Keeping her cool, Laura focused on keeping even with Grogan, waiting for her to make a mistake.

Grogan sent another _Stupefy_ towards Laura, which Laura easily blocked, but Grogan was too slow in putting up her own protection. She was growing tired. It wasn't hard for Laura to get in a quick _Petrificus Totalus_. Grogan's legs and arms snapped to her body and she fell back quickly, the annoyance ever clear on her aging face.

Before she could turn to see what was going on, an _Expelliarmus_ spell hit her hand, forcing her grip on her wand to falter completely. Laura watched helplessly as her wand flew through the air, far away from her. She turned, trying to keep the fear from her face, to see the ugly bastard Favila pointing his wand at her.

"You're good with your wand, that much is true, but what are you without it?" his voice growled deeply as he threatened her.

 _Fuck,_ Laura thought.

She kept her hands up in front of her, watching his wand carefully, going through her options. Laura knew that by the time she called for her wand and had hold of it again, Favila would likely have already hit her with a spell. In the time it would take her to disapparate, he could hit her with a spell.

 _I'm an Auror. I know what I'm doing,_ she repeated over and over again. _I've done this time and time again._

And then a thought came to her. Something Graves said to her.

 _Come home._

A smirk crossed her face as the pair stared each other down. She shrugged, enjoying the touch of fear that hit Favila's eyes.

"An Auror."

His wrist began to move, his wand flourishing in the air. Everything seemed to move as if in slow motion. Laura took a deep breath and decided to trust herself and to trust her ability to do magic. Favila silently sent a spell at her, a red flash of light shooting through the air. Laura flexed her fingers, feeling his magic hit hers, an invisible barrier protecting her.

Wandless magic was insanely difficult and only a small percentage of the wizarding population could do it. Dumbledore had helped Laura begin to master the difficult task while she was still a student at Hogwarts, but her parents never knew of her skill. Truth be told, she had been afraid of them knowing what she was truly capable of.

She didn't want to be their tool for horror.

As an Auror, doing wandless magic could be very handy, though she didn't telegraph that she was capable of it. She didn't know of many Aurors who could do it. Graves, obviously, but Hinton had never shown any indication towards it. Queenie, though not an Auror, could at least do _Legilmens_ without a wand or even a spoken incantation.

Which gave her the upper hand against Favila. He had no idea of what she could do. If he had, he might have already attacked her and ended this.

 _Protego_ was easy enough for Laura to cast without her wand, but when the spell bounced off of her hand, Favila grew angry. His eyes seemed to darken and he swished his wand again, sending another vile spell her way.

The spell hit her hand harder. Laura dug in her feet, her hands still in front of her, waiting for her chance to strike. She had to give the wizard credit, he had quick hands. However, Laura did know that the angrier he got, the more likely he was to make a mistake.

But the question was if her magic would last that long. There was only so much she could do without a wand and Laura could already feel her magic draining. She had never done this much magic without a wand in a single setting before. Laura made a mental note to practice in the future.

Favila cast yet another spell at her and Laura had to dig deep to block it, feeling it hit her hand and bounce off to her right, eventually hitting a building. He lowered his wand ever so slightly, his arms growing heavy, giving Laura her way in.

All she needed was a moment.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion, even the beating of Laura's heart. She took a deep breath, watching as Favila's wrist began to move, preparing to cast another spell at his opponent, but Laura had already made her move.

The words _Alarte Ascendare_ formed in her mind, shooting from her hand and hit Favila square in the chest and then he was flying up in the air, a look of extreme shock on his face, comforting Laura in an odd way. He just hadn't expected it. She smirked as she watched his limbs flail in the air. Before he could hit the ground, Laura used _Arresto Momentum_ to slow him down and lay him gently on the ground. Once he was on the ground, she cast another _Petrificus Totalus_.

As his arms and legs snapped together, Laura reached out behind her and called for her wand. Her fingers gripped the wood, warmness spreading through her body like she was being reunited with an old friend.

Laura looked around, suddenly noticing the silence around her. Lorne Patterson was on his knees, bleeding from his forehead, his arms behind him with Hinton and Minali pointing their wands carefully at his head.

Hinton looked up, feeling the eyes of his partner on him. When their eyes connected, he gave her a half smile, his shoulders relaxing. Laura returned the smile gratefully.

She had done it with the help of her fellow Aurors. Logan was caught.


	37. Guilty Demeanor

**Chapter 37- Guilty Demeanor**

Two Aurors died in the ambush. Gwendoline Loggs and Jeremy Anderson. Gwendoline had been a quiet worker who didn't talk to Laura much. She and Jeremy had been partners for five years and were the first ones to apparate at the scene.

And now they were gone.

Tina and Carneirus brought Logan back to MACUSA, while Laura accompanied Favila, Hinton brought Grogan, and Minali brought in Lorne.

The cells in MACUSA were fuller than they had been in some time and everyone was thrilled with the result.

Laura found herself at her desk, holding her wand hand beneath her desk and flexing it furiously. She was in so much _pain_. Once the adrenaline of the day had passed, a burning pain settled in her hand. She squeezed her eyes shut as she flexed her hand, praying to whatever God would listen to let the pain pass. She didn't need this now.

Laura _had_ to question Logan.

And then she would take him to where he belonged: Azkaban.

"Laura?" Tina's voice floated apprehensively above Laura's head.

Her eyes snapped open and she looked up at Tina. The younger woman was staring at Laura in concern.

"Sorry, Teen. What can I do for you?" Laura forced a smile, but she knew it wasn't going to fool anyone. Her hand hurt so badly, her brain was screaming.

"Mr. Graves is ready for you downstairs in interrogation," she said, her eyes narrowed in concern.

Laura nodded. "On my way, yeah?"

Tina didn't move for a moment, staring at Laura in concern, but she finally nodded, acquiescing and left Laura to her pain. She had to get it under control before she stepped into a room with Logan or she wouldn't stand a chance.

Laura wasn't sure she'd get much out of Logan anyways, but she might be able to get _something_ out of him if she could just concentrate.

She stood up from her chair and clutching her fist at her side, Laura left the Aurors office and headed to the clinic upstairs. Graves had once suggested she see Healer Patricia Claymore after Laura returned from San Francisco the first time. She had seen the Healer on a few occasions and the woman was familiar with Laura's hand injury.

Hopefully, she would be able to help and quickly.

The clinic was busy when Laura walked through the day. MACUSA kept a few healers in the building just in case something popped up. Most of the cases the healers handled involved spells gone wrong and artifacts that had hidden spells. The Aurors that had been seriously injured were taken to the hospital downtown, but the healers in the clinic were dealing with minor injuries caused by Wylda Grogan getting out of her handcuffs and causing havoc in the cells.

Laura was glad she hadn't been there for that.

The front desk was empty when Laura walked in. She stood awkwardly by the desk, peering down the hallway as people rushed around. Laura stood there for a few minutes before she spotted Patricia in the hallway. The woman noticed Laura immediately and headed for her, a deep frown on her face.

"Hand?" she questioned simply.

Laura nodded.

"Well, come on then, dear. I don't have all day. And neither do you, I hear," she said as she waved Laura to the hallway.

She followed the healer quickly, still holding her fist at her side. Patricia took Laura into an empty exam room and shut the door behind Laura.

"What happened?" Patricia asked as Laura took a seat on the exam table, holding her closed fist out for the healer.

"Got hit with an Expelliarmus, had to do loads of magic with my hand, yeah? Feels like its burning from the inside out," Laura explained.

Patricia tutted as she waved her wand over Laura's hand, watching it carefully. "Unclench, will you?"

Laura slowly let her fist relax, feeling the burn rip through her fingers. She cringed, but resisted the urge to flex her hand again. Squeezing her eyes shut, she wished this pain would go away.

"I can see a bit more of that original curse than I did the last time I saw you, Laura."

Her heart sunk. This was what she had been afraid of. The curse was never going to go away and it could be brought back. She was never going to be whole again.

"You need to go home and rest," Patricia ordered, giving Laura a stern look.

Laura shook her head. "I have to interrogate Logan. I can't leave. I have a job to do, Patricia." Laura hated that she could hear the whining in her voice, but she had to do this. She had to question Logan and then take him to Azkaban. She had to make sure this time.

Patricia frowned, but the Healer knew better than to argue with an Auror. "I can help the pain, but you know it won't last long." The older woman sighed heavily, her shoulders dropping. "Mercy Lewis, you need to be careful, dear. We don't know what we're dealing with, not really. _Be careful_."

The Auror sat silently, gritting her teeth as Patricia used the one spell she knew would help with the pain. Laura wanted nothing more than to run home and hide until the pain passed, but Logan couldn't wait and Merlin help her if he escaped the Auror's again.

What would Graves say when he learned her pain was back? Would he make her take time off? She had the awful feeling he wouldn't let her question Logan or take him to Azkaban.

This had to be a secret, just for now.

Just until Logan was locked away in Azkaban to be watched and tormented by the Dementors.

After Patricia had done what she could, she disappeared to find a potion for Laura. Laura stayed where she was, flexing her hand slowly as the pain slowly began to ease away, though not nearly enough.

She knew she needed to get her head in the game. Logan was a not a master manipulator, but he was so good at pushing the right buttons while avoiding answering questions. Laura needed to get something out of him. If he could even give her just one piece of information, it would be a solid win.

Patricia returned, potion in hand, the stern look still on her face. "I mean it, Laura. Don't push yourself too hard; you'll just make it worse."

Laura nodded as she took the potion. "I know. I just need to get one thing out of him and then I'm done, I promise." She downed the bland potion in one go, hoping it would kick in by the time she reached interrogation. Laura stood up from her chair and gave Patricia a soft smile. "Thank you."

The older woman smiled back at her. "Be smart, you'll live longer."

She could only chuckle. Laura pushed the empty potion bottle into Patricia's hand and hurried from the room. She knew Graves would be cross with her for being late; she could only help that he hadn't started the interrogation without her.

Laura jogged quickly through MACUSA, ignoring the looks of bemused employees around her. She hurried down the stairs into the far depths of the Woolworth Building. Laura hadn't quite gotten used to how dark and depressing the cells, interrogation rooms, and death chambers of MACUSA were. The Ministry didn't even have death chambers. A stark difference between the English and Americans.

When she finally hit the floor she was looking for, Laura slowed down, catching her breath and smoothing down her hair.

She had no need for files that told her what she already knew. Everything she needed to know about Logan was in her head.

Laura turned down a hallway and breathed a sigh of relief to see Graves, Picquery, Hinton, and Limus standing in the hallway. She kept her face blank as she walked up to them, ignoring Limus' look of fury at her lateness.

"Well?" Picquery asked, pushing for Laura's excuse.

Laura bit back a snarky reply. "I'm ready," she said, looking to Graves.

Graves, as she suspected, didn't look too happy with her, but he looked to Limus. "Bring him."

Graves and Picquery turned, heading for the room next to the interrogation cell where they could watch. It reminded Laura of a day almost two years ago, June 1923. The day she interrogated Cassidy Cruxmore. The day she learned just how much Graves had detested her.

And now look at them.

Laura took her seat at the interrogation table, Hinton standing behind her with his wand out and ready. She stared at the door, waiting for it to open; waiting to be reunited with Logan.

After what seemed like ages, the door began to move and Laura sat up straight in her chair, her breath caught in her throat. The heavy black door swung open to reveal a slightly disheveled Logan Crabbe being led by two guards with their wands at his throat.

Laura couldn't help but smile. "Hello Logan."

He grunted in reply as the guards forced him into his seat across the table. He glared at her, his emerald green eyes burning brightly. Sitting this close to him for the first time in years, Laura was distressed to notice how similar his eye color was to the jewels on Graves' scorpion tie pins.

She shook the thought.

"How are you doing, love?" she asked, gently prodding.

"Better than you, I imagine."

She chuckled lightly as she rested her hands on the table in front of her, her hand at a manageable pain so it was no longer shaking. "Then you must be doing so well. Tell me, Logan, how was it to be bested by me, yet again?"

He growled, nostrils flaring. "You didn't best anybody, _Ellen_."

"You know, the lot of you keep using that name like a slur, as if it means something. It means nothing. Not to me. You're going to have to do better."

"Do they know?" he asked, nodding at the hidden room where Limus, Graves, and Picquery were watching. "Do they know who you are?"

"Who am I?" Laura asked. She didn't particularly want to go down this road, but she needed to butter him up, get him talking. Bitching about her was the easiest way, Laura figured.

"Ellen Goyle. Legendary failure of a daughter. You had such potential. Top of your class; great at every subject. Oh, but we should have seen, shouldn't we? Dumbledore _adored_ you. How on earth did he convince the Ministry to let _you_ apply to be an Auror? Surely the Minister would be smarter than that. You come from _such_ a dubious background." Logan spoke in a sweet voice as he gave his brief overview of her life, seemingly amusing himself as he talked.

"The Minister was very hard to convince, I'm told. But Ridge was impressed by my scores at Hogwarts. Who wouldn't? I've earned my place as an Auror by putting away people like _you_."

Logan scoffed. "I didn't get very close to Azkaban, did I? Not that you were around. Too busy in hospital, I hear. Always injured, aren't you? Never around at the crucial times." He looked up at Hinton over Laura's shoulder. "Drops the ball when needed."

Laura shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "It's okay, Logan. You'll be joining my mother fairly soon. But first, you need to give me something."

He looked back at her, glaring. "I'd give you a fat lip if you'd let me," he said as he held up his shackled wrists, the cuffs clanging together as he moved.

One of the guards moved, grabbing Logan's wrists and pushing them back down. Logan grunted, but kept his hands on his lap as the guard moved back.

She smirked. "How's Temperance? Talked to her lately?"

Logan's eyes widened slightly. "You damn well know Temperance don't got nothing to do with this, yeah."

 _Ah,_ Laura thought. _So he does care about someone._

"No, but I'm sure Everett and Hugh look to you, want to follow your lead. How old is Hugh now? 21? 22?"

"Old enough to do what needs to be done to make wizards great again."

Laura knew she shouldn't be surprised. The younger two Crabbe brothers were so much like Logan, yet it still hit her that they were following in his footsteps. Would she have to duel them one day too?

"A shame. So much wasted talent. So much wasted potential. Hugh is smart; he could have had a good career."

Logan shrugged. "He's going to do just fine for himself, don't you worry, love. But you…you should worry about yourself." He leaned back in his chair, relaxed. "Awfully lonely in such a big city, innit?"

Cocking her head to the side, Laura thought back to the stalker. Was it Logan? One of his goons? The thought was more than unsettling. "I'm unkillable, yeah? You lunatics keep trying and yet," Laura spread her arms wide, smiling, "here I am. My father should have given you better spells." She put her hands back on the table.

Logan frowned, the anger seeping in. "You have such a habit of showing up unwanted and ruining things. The bookstore…if you hadn't saved your handsome little Director…, the club…that pretty little girl would have been buried alive. You are _such_ a little bitch."

She couldn't help but smirk. "How is my father, by the by? He doing well without mommy dearest around?"

"Still experimenting. He's making some fancy curses just…for… _you_."

A chill crept up her spine, but she kept the smirk on her face, fighting the growing panic in her chest. "Too bad you'll be in Azkaban, nobody to tell you what he hits me with next." Laura leaned forward, pressing her hands into the table. "You've never been to Azkaban have you? Never seen a Dementor? Never felt the chill…the depressing gloom that slowly settles over you…no, of course you haven't."

Logan leaned back, fear growing in his face. There wasn't a sane person alive that wasn't afraid of a Dementor. Laura had been around them a couple of times when she took wizards to Azkaban. Even just a few minutes in their presence was too long.

"I'm going to take you to Azkaban myself this time, Logan. I'm going to hand deliver you to the Dementors. And then I'm going to walk away and we'll never see each other again. And don't worry, Logan, darling, I'm going to deliver Gray to you soon. Perhaps if you'll lucky, Everett and Hugh will join you one day too. I'll make sure, Logan, that you'll always have company," she threatened him in a low voice, staring him down.

"Gray's going to come for you. And your friends. He'll torture them. Just to get to you," Logan tried to threaten her, but between the fear in his eyes and the slight tremble in his voice, Laura wasn't worried.

She chuckled. "In all my life, when have you ever known me to have friends?"

Silence filled the room as Logan contemplated what Laura had said. He believed her. And why wouldn't he? Laura had never had friends at Hogwarts. Temperance was the closest she came.

"But you care about these people, don't you? Graves? This joker?" He nodded towards Hinton. "That little lady Tina? Her blonde sister? Probably even your boss, just a little. Gray will come for them."

"He can try," Hinton growled.

"We're Aurors, Logan. We all know what we signed up for. We all know how our lives may end. We're not worried about Gray." Laura sighed and looked back at Hinton and gave him a wink that Logan couldn't see. She looked back at Logan, frowning. "You'll go back to your cell and you'll wait. When the Director gives me my orders, I'm taking you to Azkaban. Make whatever peace you can before then, Logan."

His nose flared as his shoulders slumped. "You're all going to die."

Laura pushed up from her chair and motioned to the guards. As they grabbed Logan and hauled him to his feet, she regarded him one last time. "Everyone dies in the end, Logan. It just matters how we live."


	38. The Fifth Guardian

**Chapter 38- The Fifth Guardian**

The guards took Logan back to his cell, while Hinton and Laura stayed in the interrogation room. He stood next to her, wand still out for several minutes more though the threat was gone.

"Why Ellen?" he finally asked, putting his wand away.

Laura smiled softly. "My mum's name is Elladora. So I'm Ellen Dorothea."

"I'd change my name too," he joked, nudging her left arm softly.

Their laughter died away as Picquery, Graves, and Limus entered the room. Limus still looked angry at Laura, but what else was new. Picquery had a glint in her eye that made Laura pause.

"All things considered, I'd say that went fairly well," Picquery commented. Despite the glint in her eye, she wasn't smiling. It was slightly unnerving.

"If there's one thing we learned, it's that Gray still has Laura in his sights," Hinton said, his concern for his partner showing. Laura hoped that meant he hadn't lost trust in her.

"Indeed," was all Graves added. He wasn't looking at her, but instead was looking at Hinton.

"That's not overly surprising," Laura said. "I'm curious as to if the Ministry is aware of Everett and Hugh, and in a lesser extent, Temperance."

"His little sister?" Limus questioned, his fury slightly lessening.

"I don't remember him ever being brotherly to her. His response towards me bringing her up was interesting. I'd like to speak to the Ministry about it," Laura asked, looking to Graves.

He finally looked at her, regarding her for a quick moment before he nodded. "It'll be good for us to know about the family in general. Find out what you can when you take him to Azkaban. Three Aurors from the Ministry will join you, Carneirus, and Leegna in the morning."

There was the confirmation Laura had been waiting for. She would be taking Logan to Azkaban. The last time she had been to Azkaban was when she took her mother.

Elladora Goyle had been a well-put together, smart witch once. She was obsessed with her image and the image of her family. Her long brunette hair was always pulled up in a neat hairstyle; always kept off her perfect face. Laura arrested her mother just after the woman's 43rd birthday. January 29, 1920. A cold, winter day that Laura would never forget.

Five years Elladora had been in Azkaban. What did she look like now? Wasted away? Certainly the woman hadn't looked perfect in years.

Laura headed home just long enough to get cleaned up and changed and then she returned to the office, a bottle of muggle medicine in her pocket for her pain. It was still holding back, but she had no doubt the pain would hit like a train as she made her way back to England.

Normally, when traveling between the U.S. and England, the wizards would take a muggle ship. Laura, herself, had crossed the Atlantic on a muggle ship, enjoying the days of peace before becoming an American Auror.

But when travelling with a criminal, particularly someone as dangerous as Logan, they would be travelling by carriage. It was not a new experience for Laura; she had used a carriage when she had taken her mother to Azkaban all of those years ago.

When she got back to the office, Limus informed her that she was to report to Graves' office immediately. Laura glanced at the clock in the office quickly before she moved down the hallway. It was just after eleven already.

It had felt like days had passed since arresting Logan, and yet only half a day had gone into history.

Laura sighed heavily before knocking on the door.

"Come in," the weary voice said from inside.

She entered his office, shutting the door behind her. Graves was busy, as usual, writing on parchment at his desk. Laura watched him for a moment, silently.

"You should get sleep before you leave," he said after a moment, still writing and not looking up at her.

"I will."

Leaning back against the door, Laura smiled as she watched him. Two years ago, she hated him. Now…

She closed her eyes. What was she doing, sleeping with her boss? With the Director of Magical Law Enforcement and Magical Security?

This would only end badly.

"Is Hinton okay with not going?" she asked, forcing the pain from her chest as she opened her eyes. It wouldn't do to dwell on such negative things. Not today.

"He asked not to go," Graves said as he finally looked up at Laura.

Worry caused her face to crease; the nervousness of if her partner trusted her or not seemed to set something off in her hand as the pain slowly inched its way down her nerves from her wrist to the tips of her fingers.

Laura flexed her hand.

"Logan talks too much," she whispered, unable to keep her voice from breaking.

"He has no taste for Dementors," Graves told her.

But Laura didn't believe him. How could she? She had seen the way Hinton looked at her that afternoon. He had wavered in his trust of her; believed, even just a tiny bit, that maybe…just maybe Laura still loved Logan.

But she had never loved Logan. Never trusted him.

She had only ever been afraid of him.

Swallowing hard, Laura forced herself to nod. "No one really does."

Graves stared at her, the familiar stony look on his face with just a hint of the care he had so recently begun sharing with her. Then he went back to writing.

As he looked away from her, her hand twitched with an explosion of pain, causing her knees to almost buckle. Shaking, Laura steadied herself, still leaning against the door. She had already taken the muggle medication, but it had yet to kick in.

She flexed her hand again. She knew she should tell him.

"Hinton and Leegna mentioned you showed skill with wandless magic," he said absentmindedly.

Laura wondered if he was Legilmens and if he could do it without a wand like Queenie. If so, she was screwed.

"Not much, but I can do some."

Graves set his quill done on the desk and leaned back in his chair, stretching. His jacket hung on the back of his chair, his waistcoat unbuttoned, showing his favored slightly sheer white shirt stretch across his stomach.

"More than most. Albus Dumbledore teach you that?" he asked.

"He did," Laura confirmed, nodding. She pulled her hand up to her chest and began massaging it with her good hand. "He once told me that a wizard's greatest weapon wasn't our wand, but our mind. You can convince yourself of anything, good or bad. He always had some silly wisdom to pass out. And candy." Laura smiled at the memory. She spent a lot of time in his office, particularly in her last few years. Most of the students had no idea about it and the few that did, didn't seem to think it odd. She was, after all, the best student of her year. "He believed in me," she added sadly.

"Sounds a good man."

Laura sighed heavily again and let her hands fall to her side. "He's a man like any other. The older I get, the more I see of the world, of people, the more I realize we all have demons of some kind. Some of us hide them better than others." She pushed away from the door, but only took a step into his office. She wanted to tell him about her hand, but Laura still worried he'd pull her off of the trip. So she took a different path. "I'm sorry I never told you about my past with Logan."

Graves didn't speak. He was angry; she could see it in his eyes. Angry at her for not telling him about her engagement; angry at her for being late to the interrogation in front of the President. At least he was smart enough to not lash out at her. That was a quick way for her to walk away from him forever. Did he care about that?

"I don't know anything about you," she said, surprising herself. The more she spoke, the more she realized how little she did know, and the angrier she got at the situation. "I don't know about your childhood, your parents, anything. You don't get to be mad that I didn't share it when you don't tell me anything." Laura hadn't meant to get mad at him, particularly so quickly, but his angry silence had infuriated her.

He knew so much about her and she knew so little about him.

Graves stayed silent.

Laura snorted and shook her head. "I'm going to get some sleep." She turned on her heel and opened the door, hoping he would call her back.

But he didn't.

Laura found herself an empty conference room and after locking the door, she curled up on the floor in the corner with her coat as a pillow. Laying in the dark, she squeezed her eyes shut and forced every thought from her mind.

She needed to sleep.

Sleep didn't come easy, but the Auror managed to get enough sleep to get her through the long trip to come. As four a.m. neared, Laura was awake and downing a bitter cup of coffee to wake her up. She also took more muggle medication, praying to whatever God may exist that she could make it through the trip. At the very minimum, Laura needed to make it through the 4-hour trip from New York to Azkaban.

Minali found Laura in the break room, the woman looking remarkably well rested.

"I hear the Head Auror from the Ministry is here with his Aurors," Minali commented as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Indeed? I knew they were coming, but I guess I assumed they'd just join us in flight or something, yeah?"

Minali smiled. "They really want to make sure Logan gets to Azkaban this time, I imagine." She sipped her coffee quietly, pretending to not watch Laura, though Laura could feel the other woman's eyes on her.

Laura hadn't see Ridge or anyone from the Ministry in almost two years. A fear she wasn't expecting started to well up in her chest. Surely Ridge would be proud? So why was she so afraid?

"We better get going, hmm?" Laura said, pushing down the fear in her chest.

"It's going to be a boring trip. Let's get it over worth."

Laura dumped what was left of her coffee and followed Minali from the room, nervously fiddling with her cardigan.

Minali hadn't been wrong. Claudius Ridge, Head Auror at the Ministry of Magic, was in the Auror's office with his top three Aurors, Hannah Moore, Franklin Bell, and Theseus Scamander.

Laura's mouth went dry at seeing the elder Scamander brother.

The thin, young man hated Laura, of that she was sure. He had never trusted her and even after she arrested her mother (which had been his case), he still didn't trust her. Laura wondered, after she left England, if he had celebrated her departure.

Laura had been at Hogwarts with Theseus and his younger brother Newt, though they were both older than her. Theseus was sorted into Gryffindor, while Newt was in Hufflepuff, so she didn't have too much interaction with either of them at the time. But everybody knew about Newt once he was expelled in Laura's third year.

Theseus turned, the smile on his face turning to a frown at the sight of Laura. She sucked in a deep breath as the other Aurors turned to acknowledge her and Minali.

"Laura!" Claudius Ridge's voice carried brightly in the dim office, his face lighting up at the sight of his former Auror. He wasted no time in heading towards Laura, arms outstretched for a hug.

Surprise rocked her body as her former boss grasped her in a hug. Although he had been sad to see her leave England and the Ministry, he had never been so…emotional with her.

"Good to see ya, boss," Laura managed to say. The pair broke apart.

Ridge held her shoulders as he pulled away, looking her over to check she was in one piece.

"The stories I have heard over the past two years!" he exclaimed. He leaned in a smidge, the smile on his face never wavering. "I knew you would thrive without the threat of your family." With a gentle pat on her shoulders, he finally let her go.

"I had a good teacher or two," Laura joked, slightly blushing. Ridge had always been complimentary of her, but there was such a genuine joy in his voice, it was overwhelming for Laura.

"You look well, Laura," Hannah said, making her way around Ridge to greet the woman. Hannah Moore joined the Aurors program at the same time as Laura. The women went through training together and were just two of four to be accepted in 1917. Although they weren't friends, the pair were still friendly towards one another. At the time, they were just two out of five women Aurors in the office.

Laura smiled at Hannah. "You too."

"Don't let her face lie to you," Franklin said, coming up on Ridge's other side. The beefy man walked with the confidence of a man befitting his stature. No Auror at the Ministry had dueled as many dark wizards as Franklin or put more away in Azkaban. He was Ridge's top Auror and had been for fifteen years. "Hannah is sporting a nasty scar on her back." He leaned in closer. "Got in a fight with a niffler, I hear," he whispered loudly with a wink.

The small group laughed and Hannah rolled her eyes. "Don't listen to him. I got it in a duel with Arman Dutt. The wanker hit me right in the shoulder," she explained as she leaned forward and pointed over her shoulder at her back.

An odd feeling of happiness wrapped Laura in a tight hug as the group of Aurors around her joked around. She had never known this kind of happiness before.

"Jokes aside, but we do have a job to do, don't we?" Theseus interrupted from behind the group.

Ridge sighed and nodded. "Indeed." He nodded towards Laura. "We should have kept Logan until you were well. He might have made it to Azkaban then and none of this would have happened." Ridge turned to Graves, who was standing to the side, watching the group with feigned disinterest, but Laura could see a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "I was horrified to learn about what Logan and Horus did in the bookstore last year. It was our job," he motioned behind him to Theseus who blushed furiously, looking at the ground, "to get him to Akzaban two years ago and we failed. Let's not make the same mistake again."

It was Theseus and another Auror, since retired, that were charged with taking Logan to Azkaban in Laura's absence. The fact that Theseus Scamander had lost Logan Crabbe was a source of frustration and severe embarrassment for the Ministry and particularly for Theseus.

Graves raised an eyebrow at Theseus, but recovered his stony look and nodded at Ridge. "The carriages and drivers are ready. As per your request, Ridge, Scamander will join Maurette in the carriage with Logan. Leegna and your Bell will be in the second carriage, while Moore and Carneirus will be in the final carriage."

Laura's heart dropped as she avoided looking at Theseus. Hours with Logan and Theseus in a cramped carriage?

This could be bad, indeed.

The group of Aurors made their way to the upper floors of the Woolworth Building where the three carriages were waiting, threstrals and all. The drivers were already waiting in the gray coats and goggles.

While they waited for Limus, Carneirus, and a host of guards to bring Logan to the top floor, Graves pulled Laura and Minali aside.

"I don't need to warn you both to be careful, but I will. Especially you, Laura. You know Logan cannot be trusted, even weak and without a wand. The trip is long. Four hours holding your wand at his throat will be tough. I know you've done the trip before, Laura, but this will be longer." Laura nodded solemnly. "I pray we can trust these three?" he asked in a lower voice, looking to Laura.

"They've proven themselves in ways no true supporter of Grindelwald ever would," Laura said, vouching for Hannah, Franklin, and Theseus. "I trust them completely. Always have."

Graves nodded. "Good. Stay on guard regardless. You'll return via the Ministry. Be safe."

Laura wished he could give her one of his typical "come home safe" orders, but with Minali standing right there, she knew there was no way he could be that open. _Be safe_ would have to do for now.

A moment later, Logan walked through the door, more disheveled than he had been hours before, flanked by guards, Limus, and Carneirus. He smiled as he walked towards the carriages.

"All of this for me?" he joked, his voice harsh.

"Just wait until you see what's waiting for you at Azkaban, Crabbe," Theseus said, pulling his wand out.

Logan's lip curled, but he said nothing, choosing instead to glare at the Aurors. Limus gave him a nudge, pushing him towards the carriage.

With one last look at her boss, Laura pulled out her wand and followed Theseus into the carriage that would take her back to Azkaban. Once Theseus and Laura were settled, wands at the ready, Logan was shoved into the seat across from them. His hands and feet still shackled, he begrudgingly took his seat.

Limus leaned through the door, his eyes going from Logan to Theseus to Laura. "Put this bastard where he belongs, once and for all," he ordered her.

Laura smirked and gave him a quick nod. Then he was out the door and he was shut, leaving the unlikely, and unwanted, trio alone.

Logan stared at Laura, his eyes shining in the dim light of the carriage. The seats were fairly comfortable, made of plush fabric and stuffing. Curtains hung over the windows of the doors and so their only light came from candles floating over either door, clearly bewitched to float in place and to not catch the carriage on fire.

After a minute, the carriage began to move, rocking slightly at first, and then more as the thestrals sped up and burst from the building into the air. It was an odd feeling, Laura had to admit.

Particularly when her heart seemed to drop from her chest into her stomach from the drop.

It took the trio a few minutes to regain their composure. And then Logan returned to staring at Laura. Although she was not used to it, she ignored him as best she could, while still keeping her wand pointed at him and her attention on him.

The minutes ticked by in silence as the carriage flew through the crisp morning air above the Atlantic Ocean.

Until finally, Logan could hold his silence no longer. "You could have had the world," he whispered.

Laura frowned. "I just want peace, Logan. That's all I've ever wanted, but I would never expect you to understand."

"Peace? We can achieve peace!" he said, louder as the conviction returned to his soul.

She shook her head. "Not by making muggles our slaves or our inferiors."

"They _are_ our inferiors!" he shouted, the veins bulging in his neck. He rose up from his seat ever so slightly.

"Settle!" Theseus ordered, inching his wand forward.

Logan obeyed, pushing back into his seat, but his attention remained hyper focused on Laura. "We are better than them. _You_ are better than them! Better than most wizards, as well. You could easily sit at Grindelwald's right hand!"

Her stomach churned at the thought. There was nothing even remotely appealing about Grindelwald. She didn't think herself better than muggles, regardless of her ability to do magic. It was simply something she could do and muggles couldn't. That was it. Like being athletically or musically inclined.

Just a talent she was born with.

"I would rather die," she finally said, her voice clear and strong. This was not something she would ever waver on.

The exuberance that had been growing in Logan's eyes and face with every word he spoke began to flame out, realizing just how serious Laura was. He frowned heavily, disappointment in every line on his face and in the drooping of his shoulders.

"Then you will."

The words chilled Laura to her core. He said them so plainly, so matter of fact. As if it was a done deal.

"Like I said, Logan, everyone dies in the end." She tightened her grip on her wand, part of her wishing she could end this here and now, but knowing that was not who she was, not who she could become. "But not you, not yet. You'll suffer first."

Theseus remained silent at Laura's right. She wondered if he believed her. Would he ever trust her?

Theseus Scamander was a beloved Auror and a war hero. There weren't many at the Ministry, at any magical government, that didn't know his name. Laura had to admit, she was slightly jealous of the respect and praise he had won the world over.

Would she ever lose the stigma of being a Goyle?

Time passed by and eventually, Logan gave up on staring intently at Laura and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep. Laura wished she could close her eyes, even if just for an hour, but she could not.

She and Theseus took turns as Logan slept with keeping their wands on him, giving their arms a break from the constant stress.

Eventually, the familiar chill and dread that the Dementors of Azkaban brought settled over the carriage. Logan woke with a start, his eyes wide with fear.

 _He should be afraid,_ Laura thought.

The carriage touched down and came to a stop. Laura kept her eyes on Logan as they waited for the doors to open. She dared not look away. As the carriage doors were pulled open, her breath caught in her throat.

She could _feel_ the Dementors as they floated above and within the fortress. They wanted her. They wanted Logan.

Two armed guards appeared at the door while a third reached in and pulled the frightened Logan from his seat. Laura stayed where she was for a moment, then mustered up all of the courage she had left and departed the safe and warm carriage.

Azkaban was as it always had been, a dark and desolate place in the middle of the North Sea. Unknown stories below, the waves crashed at the walls of the prison, as loud as if they were crashing at Laura's very feet.

She stood on shaky ground, though she knew the ceiling of the prison was not moving at all, just her brain. Laura took a deep breath and forced her eyes to remain on Logan.

 _Don't look up. Don't look around._

Laura watched Logan closely as he began to feel the immediate effects of being close to Dementors for the first time. As Laura had previous experience, she knew how to fight them, even just a little bit. And she could produce a Patronus charm, when necessary.

The Minister for Magic, Hector Fawley, strode across the top of Azkaban, his Patronus of a small dog running circles around him for protection.

"Miss Maurette, hello. Mister Scamander! Good to see you, old chap," Fawley greeted the pair as he came to a stop next to Logan. He looked the prisoner up and down quickly, then nodded. "Logan Crabbe. Finally where you belong. In accordance with your conviction of May 14, 1923, you are sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban." He took a step back. "Take him away."

Laura watched as the guards led Logan towards the staircase, where the Dementors would take Logan into the depths of the massive prison forever. Logan's feet moved, carrying his body away, but his head whipped around to look at Laura one last time.

"He's going to win! You won't stop anything!" he yelled, his voice slowly getting drowned out by the sounds of the ocean.

Once he had finally descended down the staircase, Laura lowered her wand, sighing heavily. It was done.

Logan Crabbe would no longer be a problem.


	39. Quietus

**Chapter 39- Quietus**

The Minister watched Logan descend into the prison and then turned back to Laura and Theseus, a large smile on his face.

"You have the thanks of the Ministry for finally bringing this criminal to justice, Miss Maurette. I am thrilled to see you flourish in the States, though I wish you would return to the Ministry." His Patronus jumped around his head and back to the ground, almost reacting to the happiness that his caster was exhibiting.

Laura smiled. "I appreciate the sentiment, Minister, but for now, I'm happy in New York. Perhaps one day, I will come home."

He nodded, his smile relaxing a bit. "I understand you will make a trip to the Ministry?" he questioned.

"Yes, sir," Laura said as she nodded. "Director Graves has tasked me with looking into Logan's family."

"The Crabbes?" The smile on his face dropped completely. "Miss Maurette, is that truly necessary?"

"Sir?"

"Merlin and Eliza Crabbe are beyond reproach."

Laura couldn't help but snort. Merlin was just as hateful as his son Logan. The only difference was that Merlin hated against muggles in the privacy of his own home, while Logan went out and murdered them. Eliza was the violent one. Laura heard from Temperance on a few occasions of how Eliza slapped and abused her children.

"You debate that?" The Minister for Magic seemed appalled at Laura's suggestion.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I know what I know, Minister. You know what you know."

"And what is it, Miss Maurette, that you know?" he questioned, stepping closer to her. His Patronus paused at his feet, staring away from them. Laura knew arguing so close to Dementors probably wasn't a good idea.

Theseus tensed next to Laura, a surprising move. He moved, ever so slightly, closer to her, almost as if he wanted to step in front of her. His protectiveness was very surprising to Laura, slightly throwing her off her game for a moment.

"Logan Crabbe spoke to me. I believe what he said. The Director of Magical Law Enforcement has tasked me with an investigation into what Logan told me." She tilted her head, eyes narrowing as she studied the man in front of her. A smug prick, if she had ever seen one, but what politician wasn't? Even wizard politicians were guilty of it. "And I _shall_ investigate."

"Good day, Minister," Theseus said, interjecting. He gestured for Laura to head for their carriage, cutting off the argument before it could go too far.

She gratefully did so. Getting on the Minister for Magic's bad side wasn't a wholly good thing. Though now she found herself wondering why he would wish to protect the Crabbe's so badly. Had they donated to his campaign? Were they friends? Something worse?

Laura pushed the thoughts behind her and climbed into the carriage, taking the seat where Logan had been sitting miserably only minutes before. A moment later, Theseus climbed in and took the seat across from her, eyeing her carefully.

Once the door was shut, the drivers set the thestrals on their next course. They thankfully were away from the cold prison, leaving the Dementors far behind.

"I don't think the Minister likes you now," Theseus said casually, hands resting on his thighs.

Laura smiled. "Most people don't."

"Not what I hear. You have some…something. People, good people, love you." He regarded her like an experiment, an unanswered question that needed investigating.

Laura tried not to squirm under his intense stare. "Nobody loves me, Theseus, don't be daft. Not even Ridge. He likes my grades, my scores, my talent. That's not love."

"Surely _somebody_ does."

There was a pity in his eyes that made her stomach churn. Did anybody love her? Maybe Tina?

And what about Graves? Could she say he loved her? Was it infatuation? Laura knew she was in love with him, but she wasn't sure where she stood with him. Part of her was afraid to find out.

She looked away from him, staring at the covered window, partly wishing she could apparate away. Theseus Scammander was a smart man, loyal, good, pure of heart.

That's what Ridge had always said.

But Auror's were never pure of heart. You simply couldn't last in the job if you were; which is why Laura worried about Tina. One day, she would be faced with a terrible choice and Laura wasn't so sure Tina would make the right decision.

It would either cost the younger woman her life or her job.

Laura hoped she was wrong in Tina's case.

"Do you really think the Crabbe's are involved with Gray Goyle?" Theseus asked after an uncomfortable silence.

"I think there's a strong possibility that Hugh and Everett are, but I wouldn't put it past Merlin and Eliza to give him money or what have you."

"There's something I always wondered, something Ridge would never share with me," Theseus began.

Laura tensed; panic beginning to fill her veins. What would he ask her?

"Do you remember that day you went after Gray and Elladora Goyle?" he asked tentatively.

Laura's mouth went dry. She sighed heavily and looked over at him, nodding.

"Why did you? It was my case."

Could she finally admit it? Could she finally tell Theseus who she was? What would that do? Ridge had done so much to keep her secret safe for all of those years. Would telling Theseus the truth betray Ridge?

And what would he think of her?

"I uh, I…" Laura frowned, her heart beating fast in her chest and her palms growing sweaty. "They're my parents."

Silence filled the carriage as the shock slowly registered on Theseus's face.

"Your parents? You're, dear Merlin, _you're_ Ellen Goyle?" he asked, his eyebrows knit in confusion.

She nodded. "The long lost, but not actually so. Dumbledore helped me run away and hide."

"Becoming an Auror isn't exactly hiding."

"I don't want to be like them. I wanted to be better, to help stop people like them." Laura looked down at her hands clutched tightly in her lap. "To stop them."

"Does Ridge know?"

"Yes. And the Minister. President Picquery, Director Graves. In fact, many of my MACUSA colleagues know who I am." She looked back up at Theseus. His face hadn't changed. She could see it in his eyes that he just couldn't quite grasp the revelation.

"I can't believe we never knew," he finally managed to say, his voice almost quiet.

"You and Newt were ahead of me at Hogwarts. If you didn't know me before I became an Auror, you wouldn't know."

The shock slowly faded from Theseus' face and now he looked at her with mild curiosity. "You arrested your own mother."

"My mother. My would be husband. I don't discriminate." Laura leaned over to the window and slowly moved the curtain so she could see outside. A twinge of pain shot through from her wrist to her fingertips and it took all of Laura's will to not visibly react. "One day, I'll arrest my father and put him in Azkaban too."

"Aren't you afraid?"

Laura looked over her shoulder. "Of what?"

He shrugged lightly. "Gray Goyle? What he can do? Grindelwald's followers? People turning on you?"

Laura moved back from the window once again, rubbing her hand. "I've been afraid since I was a child. For the first time in my life, Theseus, I feel like I don't have to be anymore. I know my father is dangerous and always will be, but he's not Logan. He doesn't go after people like Logan does; he gets others to do his dirty work. I don't have to be afraid of Gray. And I can protect myself against his goons, I've proven that time and time again."

Finally putting Logan in Azkaban had lifted a weight off of Laura's shoulders that she hadn't realized was there. Logan had long been the violence behind her father. It was true that Gray had an extensive list of dangerous and unknown spells behind him, but he wasn't often one to use them unless necessary. His modus operandi was to design the spells and give them to the hired hands.

She had to wonder if Gray had shared any of his special spells with Grindelwald.

She hoped not.

"All this time…I thought you were just being surly and standoffish. I had no idea what you were dealing with," Theseus spoke in a soft voice, so different than she had ever known from him. He was full of pity for her.

Laura gritted her teeth. She hated being pitied, but she swallowed her emotions. If this was the nicest Theseus would be with her, then she would take it. She smiled, albeit bitterly.

She also didn't want to make the rest of the flight much more awkward.

"I didn't-I don't want to get too close to anyone," Laura explained. "Friends are a liability. Logan would hurt anyone to get to me."

Theseus nodded in understanding. "Dumbledore prepared you well."

 _That he did,_ Laura thought to herself. _But not well enough._

Her thoughts trailed to Graves and the things they had done in his office. What would Logan have done if he had known? Expose them? Or go after Graves first?

What would Gray do if he found out?

A comfortable silence fell over the carriage for the first time and Laura, clutching her injured hand, allowed her eyes to close and she drifted off to sleep.

Laura was woken as the carriage touched down on earth once again, landing in a clear field near the coast of England, away from the eyes of muggles. The sun was coming up, so it was too late in the day for them to risk flying to London. Instead, they would have to apparate to a safe spot in London and then walk to one of the entrances.

London was just as Laura remembered it. She could hardly believe it had really been almost two years since she had last been in the city. The Ministry, certainly, was still the same. Laura, joined by Minali and Carneirus, followed Theseus down into the Ministry. Her MACUSA coworkers were amazed by not only the entrance through a phone booth, but also the lobby; they spun on their heels as they looked up and around, trying to take in every inch.

Laura could only smile at their amazement. She could still remember the first time she had visited the Ministry and her own delight at how marvelous and grand it looked. It certainly differed from MACUSA in a lot of ways.

Laura's feet seemed to carry her without pushing of her own towards the office that had been her home for many years. A vast room filled with cubicles, the Auror's office at the Ministry of Magic was open and somewhat inviting. Without thinking, Laura walked through the maze of cubicles, heading for the one she had worked at for several years.

She was surprised to find it empty, although wanted posters still littered the outside wall, including Logan's.

"We've been light on Auror's lately," Theseus explained, walking up beside Laura as she stared at her old cubicle.

"Hmm," she murmured. She stepped inside, waiting for memories to flood her senses. Instead, she just felt sad. Sad that she couldn't make London work for her. Sad that it taken two more years for her to find some sense of closure.

Sad that there was still so much for her to do.

"I vote we convince Graves to let us have cubicles," Minali suddenly said, appearing at the door of the cubicle, wonder still filled in her eyes.

Laura smiled softly. "I'd second that vote."

"If you want to wait here, I'll get someone to pull everything we have on the Crabbe family," Theseus offered.

"Thank you, that would be greatly appreciated," she said, genuinely meaning it. She might never see Theseus again after today, or they might be brought together again in the future in the fight against Grindelwald. Having him trust him, if only a little bit more than he did two years ago, was a good thing.

He nodded to the trio and then left.

Laura sat down in the only chair, noticing it was definitely not the one she had left behind. Minali and Carneirus stepped into the cubicle, each one taking a side.

"So you know Theseus Scammander?" Carneirus questioned. Laura could see the hero worship in his eyes.

Laura shrugged, slightly annoyed at the typical reaction people got when it came to Theseus. "We worked together."

"The things he did during the war!" Carneirus said, not noticing Laura's dislike of the topic.

Minali crossed her arms over her chest. "He's just a wizard, like any of us, Carnie. Try to keep it in your pants." She gave Laura a slight wink, having noticed her discomfort.

Laura wished she could give the older woman a hug. Perhaps Theseus wasn't as bad as she thought, but she still didn't care for the hero worship so many around the world seemed to have for the Auror.

Maybe she was just jealous.

"I've read about that Albus Dumbledore, you know," Carnie said, still full of awe. "Now he's an amazing wizard! And he taught you, Laura?" he questioned.

She nodded. "He did. A good man and certainly a talented wizard."

The trio chatted for a while longer as Carneirus pushed for more information about Laura's time at Hogwarts and the Ministry. The minutes ticked by before Laura realized they had been waiting for quite some time.

"I'm going to go find Theseus," Laura said, pushing up from the rickety chair. Minali and Carneirus nodded, moving so she could leave the cubicle.

Laura walked through the maze of cubicles, trying to remember where their filing cabinets had been. If she remembered correctly, they were near Ridge's office, in the front of the room. Ridge preferred it that way, so he could keep an eye on his Aurors and make sure they were doing their research.

She finally came out of the maze and smiled when she saw the few rows of filing cabinets that stood between the Auror's section and Ridge's office. Laura walked around to the side and peered down each aisle, looking for any sign of Theseus, but he was nowhere to be found.

As Laura came around to the final aisle, she heard raised voices.

"-dangerous!" a male voice shouted.

"It was not and you know it!" another man shouted. It sounded like Ridge.

Laura inched closer to his slightly ajar door, wondering who Ridge was arguing with.

"The level of incompetence you exhibit is staggering, Claudius! Employing an untrustworthy daughter of a madman; dear Merlin, what were you thinking? Were you truly that blown away by her O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. scores, to ignore such a thing? Why would the Minister allow it? Why would Albus Dumbledore put himself behind her?" the other voice yelled. Laura's heart sunk as she recognized it as belong to Theseus.

So, he did not pity her at all and he trusted her far less now than he had years ago. Anger welled in Laura's chest.

"Albus Dumbledore spent seven years teaching Laura-"

"Ellen," Theseus interrupted.

" _Laura_ ," Ridge continued forcefully. "He would know her better than you. When has she ever done anything to warrant your distrust other than being born to parents she could not choose?"

Laura stood outside of Ridge's door, leaning against the wall. Would she ever not be questioned by others for her family? She felt tears pricking at her eyes. She was so tired of going through this.

"She cannot be trusted!" Theseus insisted.

Ridge scoffed. "Laura Maurette has only ever shown herself to be a dedicated Auror. Not once, _not once_ , has she done anything to have her motives questioned. You have severely overstepped your bounds, Mr. Scammander. Return to your work," Ridge ordered.

Laura had heard more than enough. She spun on her heel and quickly returned to her old, abandoned cubicle. Minali and Carneirus looked at her in confusion as she stared at them, anger in her eyes and her cheeks red.

"We're not going to get any answers here. Let's go home," she suggested, swallowing hard and avoiding their eyes.

Carneirus regarded her for a moment and then nodded. "Yes, let's."


	40. Solitary Ground

**Chapter 40- Solitary Ground**

Unfortunately, the trio had to wait a while before they would be able to leave England. They would have to wait until it was nighttime in New York, or at least close enough. To pass the time, Laura took Minali and Carneirus to Diagon Alley. Like they had been at the Ministry, the pair were visibly excited at the treats that Diagon Alley held. True, New York had a lot of wizarding stores, but Laura still felt that there was something different about Diagon Alley.

Laura felt like an odd Aunt taking her children on a shopping trip.

They both insisted on stopping in almost every store, particularly Flourish and Blotts, and by the time the afternoon began to creep by, Minali and Carneirus' arms were heavy with bags. Laura had never had so much fun in all of her life.

If she hadn't been enjoying herself so much at the time, she might have been saddened by the thought.

Instead, she decided to focus on the positives, particularly the smile that had yet to fade from Minali's emotive face.

When the pair had finally had their fill of the fun that Diagon Alley presented, which took a little convincing from Laura, they left the shopping area with scores of bags and an ice cream cone each. Giggling like children, they apparated away, returning to the field where the carriages were waiting. The sun had begun to go down, but they would still have to wait awhile to leave for New York.

Laura put her few shopping bags in one of the carriages and then found a nice patch of grass to sit on and eat her ice cream, waiting for when they would be able to leave England. Minali and Carneirus joined her on the grass, both still with huge smiles on their faces.

"What do you think Graves would say if he saw us now?" Carneirus asked before taking another lick of his ice cream. He had a youthful aura to him that Laura hadn't seen before.

Laura smirked. "I don't think he'd say anything; he'd probably just shake his head and walk away." She wondered, as she enjoyed her own ice cream, if Graves ever ate the dessert. Did he eat it out of a bowl or had he ever enjoyed it on a cone? She couldn't picture him eating an ice cream cone.

She still knew so little about him.

Why was she surprised about that fact? He was her boss.

Whatever _this_ was, it wasn't going to last. That much Laura knew. She was going to have to accept the ending sooner or later. Maybe she could end it on her terms, though she worried it would end horribly.

As the trio finished their ice creams, the sun had descended enough that they were finally able to leave. They all climbed into the same carriage, with Minali and Laura sitting next to each other and Carneirus across from them.

So much had happened in the past 24 hours. Logan was captured and locked away in Azkaban. A man that had haunted her sleep for so many years was now gone. Laura still needed to find her father, but she was now so close to peace.

Wasn't she?

By the time they returned to the Woolworth building in New York, most of the MACUSA employees had headed home for the night. Graves met them on the top floor where he had sent them off just earlier that morning. He looked fresh, like he hadn't spent all day at work.

Lucky him.

Laura followed Minali and Carneirus out of the carriage, chuckling to herself as they struggled with their stupid amount of bags. She didn't miss the look of confusion and slight annoyance on Graves' face as he realized his Captain of Aurors had spent the day shopping.

"Do I want to ask?" Graves finally managed to say, a slight amount of contempt heard in his voice.

Laura smirked. "We had some free time," she said with a shrug.

Their boss stared at them for a moment before he shook his head, disappointment evident. "Go home. We'll go over everything tomorrow."

Laura trailed behind her boss and coworkers, taking one last look back at the thestrals. Creepy as they were, there was something relaxing and kind to them. She shook her head almost forlornly and turned away from them.

The lift ride down was quiet and slow. Laura and Graves got off the lift on the Aurors floor; Graves was obviously going back to work and Laura told Minali and Carneirus she had left something at her desk.

It wasn't a total lie. She _had_ left her hat at her desk that morning, having opted to not take it with her to Azkaban.

But mostly, she had hoped to speak to Graves.

Laura had made a choice during the silent flight back from England. She only hoped she wouldn't destroy everything by voicing it out loud.

But what would staying silent do for her? Laura felt like she needed to change something. Logan being locked away changed things for her. She finally felt like maybe, just maybe, life could get better.

She had to take a chance.

She made her way down the hallway towards Graves' office, a walk that was becoming, perhaps, far too familiar for after hours.

As she made the walk, she thought back to two years ago, when she first met Percival Graves. He had been cold, harsh, and unforgiving. How had she fallen for the man that had used her emotionally, in such a cruel way, just to achieve an end? Was she stupid? Or had he genuinely changed?

She paused to take a deep breath, reminding herself that whatever happened tonight, it would be for the best. With confidence she wasn't sure she deserved in this situation, Laura knocked on the door. After a moment, Graves' tired voice called out from inside the office.

Laura entered the office, quickly shutting the door behind her and heading for the seat in front of his still cluttered desk. _Would he ever catch up on paperwork,_ she wondered.

By the time she took her seat, Graves had already pulled out the now close to empty bottle of Firewhiskey and was pouring drinks for them both. Laura took her drink and held it up as Graves did the same.

"To getting closure," he toasted, "and putting the worst where they belong."

Laura smiled and took a deep drink, savoring the harshness of the liquor on her throat.

"Did you find the information you were looking for?" he questioned after setting his empty drink back down. He eyed with a familiar look, one of playfulness that often preceded his lust.

Laura grimaced. "What I found is that Theseus Scammander still hates me."

Graves raised an eyebrow in questioning, but Laura didn't feel the need to elaborate. What more was there to say? She took another deep drink of the Firewhiskey, draining her cup. She didn't want to talk about Scammander or England or Logan.

There was something she had to say, regardless of the outcome.

"I think we should start over," she said, looking her boss in the eyes. Laura hoped she was displaying some sort of confidence, but her inside didn't feel so confident.

The questioning look on his face grew more concerned. "Start over?" Laura was surprised to hear a touch of uncertainty in his voice, like he was both thrown off by the suggestion and unhappy by it. After a moment, the look of concern fell into his normal mask of no emotion.

"I'm aware, quite so, that we can never date in public. I wouldn't ask it of you. But sneaking around your office for a fuck isn't what I want. If that's all you want, then fine, we'll end it now. But Graves, I need something more. I feel like I deserve something more. Is dinner too much to ask for?" she spit it out, trying not to speed through it. Laura had no idea of what to expect, no idea of how Graves would act.

He stared at her, his face devoid of any emotion, no clue as to what he was thinking.

This was too much to ask of him, wasn't it?

She had asked too much.

What had she been thinking? He was her boss.

The quiet was too much for Laura. She cleared her throat uncomfortably and gently placed her glass on the desk, before smiling sadly at Graves.

"I always thought you were an impossible man to figure out, but maybe you're not. Whatever it is you want from this world Graves, I hope you get it." Laura pushed up from her chair, her eyes turning from Graves' own, unable to hold his stare or endure the silence any longer. She made her way towards the door, trying to keep the tears from welling up in her eyes, though she was fighting a losing battle.

Tears were spilling down her cheeks by the time she reached the door. Not taking the time to wait to see if Graves would call out to her, Laura wrenched open the door and hurried from his office.

Laura wiped away her tears and took a deep breath as she walked down the hallway towards the elevator. She had taken her chance and it hadn't worked out.

Better to end it now, wasn't it?

And yet, Laura couldn't shake the feeling that she had just made a terrible mistake.


	41. Eidola

**Chapter 41- Eidola**

Halfway home, when the tears had dried up in the cold night air, Laura started to get annoyed. It was like a pressure building from her stomach to her heart to her brain.

 _That stupid look on his face. Why does he always have that stupid look on his face?_ She thought angrily, her face scrunched up in what surely made her look like a mad woman.

She stewed in her anger at his silence as she walked home. _Why couldn't he have just said anything?_ She wondered bitterly. _Why did he always have to keep things so close to the vest?_

Laura understood that at the end of the day, she was just his employee; his subordinate. But she had sworn there was _something_ there between them; something.

But he stayed silent.

He let her leave like that.

Percival Graves had made his choice. So Laura would have to move on. There was no other choice.

Why had she ever slept with him? _Of course_ this was the only way this was going to end. He was her boss! And he clearly had never wanted anything more than sex.

What a stupid, stupid woman she was.

Hunched over, muttering to herself in her anger, Laura finally reached her apartment building. Although it was now dark out, it was still fairly early and she found some of her neighbors milling about in the hallways. They were all friendly with one another, something Laura had fought to avoid due to magical laws. She had often found them chatting with one another in their homes, sometimes with doors open, at the end of the work day.

Muggles were odd people.

As she headed up the stairs, James, the kind factory worker that had warned her so many moons ago, was coming down the stairs.

"Late day, Miss Laura?" he asked, smiling sweetly. He was wearing a nice suit, nicer than she had seen him in before and had cleaned up nicely.

"Per usual, I'm afraid. Been a busy couple of days, James." She paused on the stairs to speak to him, looking up at him. _Something was different,_ she mused to herself. _Perhaps just a new suit._ James had been so nice to her over the years; she did hope things were going well for him. "How have you been?" she asked, choosing to not specifically ask about his suit as that might be too invasive.

"Well, Miss Laura. Things are going very well. I impressed my bosses and have moved up!" he told her excitedly, his hands smoothing down the front of his suit.

"James, that is marvelous news. Congratulations!" Laura took a step up the stairs to head for her flat.

James stuttered in his movements, starting to move over, almost to block her, but then stopped, staying where he was. Laura paused, keeping the smile on her face and trying not to show her confusion. Inside, warning bells were going off.

He smiled awkwardly. "Have a good night, miss." He dipped his head and then kept heading down the stairs.

Laura moved up the stairs, wondering what that was about.

And she couldn't help but ponder to herself, _since when do factory workers get promoted that well and so quickly?_

But Laura minded her own business. She wasn't even supposed to talk to muggles anyhow. Entering her flat, Laura shut the door behind her and leaned back against it, sighing heavily. It was simply none of her business.

A busy couple of days, indeed.

She took a moment to rest before she pushed off her door and began taking off her coat and hat, shaking off the cold. Once her coat and hat were hung up, Laura headed for her bathroom. She was in desperate need of a hot bath to relax after everything had happened over the past couple of days.

Her hand ached, though thankfully it was just a dull ache. She fully expected tomorrow to be awful. It was a slightly hopeful sign that she had had little pain over the day, but it also made her nervous that tomorrow would be worse.

Laura had scarcely entered her bedroom, letting the door fall shut behind her, before the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She paused, her paranoia and Auror instincts kicking in.

Something was wrong.

As she listened closely, taking deep breaths to settle the slight jump in her heart, waiting for a telltale sign, Laura took a step to the side of her door; she knew better than to stand in front of a door when in danger. Her ears strained, hearing sounds of her neighbors in the hallways; her upstairs neighbor was walking around, the floor slightly creaking; and somewhere outside a dog was barking.

What had tripped her senses?

Laura shook off the paranoia, leaning down to begin to pull of her shoes, her feet aching from such a long couple of days and all of that walking around Diagon Alley. As the shoe fell from her hand, landing on its side on her wooden floor, her bedroom door blasted apart, sending pieces of wood all over her bedroom.

Laura's first instinct was to dive forward, towards the end of the bed, before crawling around to the other side of her bed for some semblance of safety. She crouched down, covering her head with her arms and hands as a spell hit the wall in front of her.

"Where are you girl?" the rough voice called from her hallway.

Fear struck every inch of Laura as she recognized the voice, paralyzing her from head to toe.

It was her _father_.

Gray Goyle was here for her. Just as Logan had promised.

Laura reached for her wand before she remembered she had left it in her coat, which was hanging by her front door. _What a stupid rookie mistake,_ she told herself. _Always keep your wand with you!_

Laura had just made a potentially fatal mistake.

After the day she had had, there was no way she could do major magic with her hands; there was no way she could send a _Patronus_ off for help.

She was on her own with Gray until she could get to her wand.

Her heart beat quicker in her chest, pounding hard against her ribcage. Laura had never fought her father before. On the day she arrested her mother, Laura waited until Gray apparated away before she went after Elladora. Although Gray was not an accomplished dueler, one could never know what he had in his arsenal. Going at it alone with him was not a smart plan.

She was screwed.

"What are you doing here?" she yelled. Laura knew it was a stupid question, but she needed to buy time.

But it was too late. Gray stepped around the bed and stood over her, wand pointed down at her.

And worse…he was wearing a familiar suit.

"What did you do to James?" she yelled, pushing herself up to her feet, coming face to face with the man that had raised her.

Gray grabbed her by her hair, pushing the tip of his wand into her throat. "Don't worry about the stupid little muggle. He got what he deserved."

Sorrow wrapped its ugly little hands around her heart. James had only ever been kind to her and her father had killed him simply because she knew him.

"Don't weep for a muggle, girl. I taught you better than that," Gray growled as he pulled her around the bed. Laura struggled, trying to pull on his hand, but he kept his grip tight. Unless she could get to her wand, Laura stood no chance.

He pulled her into the living room and threw her to the ground. Her injured hand broke her fall, sending a shooting pain up her arm and into her neck. She grimaced.

"What did you do to Logan?" he asked.

Laura rolled over on her back and grinned up at him, pushing through the pain. "You really do wish he had been your son, hmm?"

Gray tilted his head. "He would have been, if you had simply stayed put and done as you were told." With an angry curl in his lip, Gray raised his wand. " _Crucio_."

In almost twenty-six years of living on this Earth, Laura had been through a lot. She had been hit with unknown curses, she had been punched, and she had been choked.

Nothing compared to being tortured with the _Crucio_ curse.

While other curses seemed to start in one place and move over your body, _Crucio_ felt like it hit your entire body at once and then intensified. Her eyes rolled back in her head as he held the curse, pain as awful as it had ever been.

Laura wasn't sure how long Gray held it, but finally, he stepped back, wand lowered and the worst of the pain left her, though there was still a lingering effect that reminded her of the curse Logan had used on her a year ago.

She gasped for air and curled up into a ball, trying to keep the tears at bay.

How was she going to get through this? How was she going to last long enough?

"Were you the one to interrogate him?" Gray questioned, breathing heavily. Laura could tell he didn't do this often. He was skilled, and angry, enough to cast _Crucio_ , but he was not used to the toll.

A simple enough question; Laura nodded. She hoped there was somebody in Major Investigations keeping an eye on the spellboard. Maybe they would notice the _Crucio_ being used in the city.

Maybe somebody would save her.

"What did he tell you?"

Laura gripped the sides of her head. What _had_ Logan said? It had only been hours ago, but the pain rolling through her body made it so hard for her to think.

"Not much," she finally choked out. "Told me you were coming."

"So then why weren't you prepared for me?" he asked, leaning down next to her. "For an Auror, you are too comfortable with your surroundings. And that muggle? Girl, don't you know any better? What would your dear Director say about that?"

She choked back a sob. Graves was going to be furious with her for not being ready for a fight at any time. She wasn't an amateur. She was better than this. She spent three years living in London and being prepared; waiting every night for her family to come for her.

Laura had become complacent and she was going to pay the price.

"You're going to take me to MACUSA tonight. We're going to get Logan out and then…I'll leave you somewhere nice for your boss to find," Gray said in a matter of fact tone, staring down at her; his face not too far away.

His words seeped in slowly. _We're going to get Logan out._ A smile crossed her face and she couldn't help but to laugh, bitter and sad. He had no idea.

"What's funny, love?" There was a slight look of confusion on his face that gave Laura strength and courage to keep going. Keep him distracted.

"As usual, father, you're too late." Laura reached out and grabbed his wand hand, squeezing as tightly as she could with her good hand. "Logan isn't here anymore," she whispered. "He's with mother now being watched over by dementors."

From full confusion to rage, the look on Gray's face turned quickly. Laura used this moment to push up on his right hand with her good hand and reach for his face, going for his eyes. If she couldn't fight with magic, then she'd have to fight with whatever she had left.

Her nails scratched down his eyes to his cheek and Gray roared in her face. He shot off a spell from his wand, but it went over her shoulder and hit a wall, exploding tiny shards of wood into the room. Focused on the fight and not the pain that was welling in her arm, Laura threw her head back and then forward quickly, smashing her forehead into Gray's nose.

The older man staggered back, falling onto his rear. Laura kept hold of his hands, twisting his right hand, squeezing tightly to force him to drop his wand. Gray wasn't expecting it and it doesn't take much force for the wand to fall from his grip.

As the wand clattered to the ground, Laura released his hands and pushed on his chest as hard as she could muster with two fists. Gray's eyes went wide with surprise as he landed on his ass several feet back, feet flying up into the air.

Laura dove for the wand and grasped the unfamiliar wood in her damaged hand. She didn't need to do big magic; just _something_.

There was always a danger in using another person's wand, but there was especially a danger in using a dark wizard's wand. Laura had to imagine there was an even greater danger in her using her father's wand.

Did she risk calling for her wand or risk hitting Gray with a _Stupefy_?

With only a split second to decide, Laura used Gray's wand to call for her own. " _Accio_ wand!" Laura climbed to her feet as she spoke the words, standing over her father.

Her wand seemed to fly through the air in slow motion as Laura moved Gray's wand to her left hand and she stretched out her wand hand to reach for her wand. Gray's eyes tracked from her wand back to Laura.

With a grimace, Gray kicked out, his foot hitting Laura's shin. She let out a yelp as her knee buckled down slightly. It was enough for her wand to go shooting past her.

" _Accio_ wand!" Gray yelled, eyes locked on his own wand.

His wand shot from her grip at a blinding pace. Laura wasted no time and turned, her eyes searching for her wand. She stumbled away from her father, stepping around her end table. Luckily for Laura, she didn't have much furniture, so it didn't take too long for her to find her wand on the floor against the far wall.

With whatever she had left, Laura dove for her wand. She hit the ground hard and let out a gasp of air. Her fingers curled around the wood and she said the spell as quickly, albeit correctly, as she could, " _Expecto Patronum_!" Any other day and she would have been able to pull it off silently, but after the past two days, Laura didn't trust her magic without speaking.

Her _Patronus_ took off from the tip of her wand, large and bright, phasing through the wall of her apartment and out into New York.

 _Run,_ she thought, _run to Graves and save me._

Gray watched it go and then turned to Laura once more.

" _Crucio_!" he yelled once more.


	42. Delirium

**Chapter 42- Delirium**

The pain rolled through her body like an old familiar friend. Of course, it was a friend she had no interest in knowing, but it just wouldn't leave her alone. Her eyes rolled back in her head as the damned unforgivable curse ran through her veins.

Her father stood over her, the great Gray Goyle. Early 50s, graying all over his once dark brown hair, and a growing belly, he was not the same man he once was. The last time she had seen him more than 2 years ago, he had far fewer wrinkles lining his face. The stress of the years seemed to be getting to the once untouchable Gray.

He released the curse once more and Laura's body went limp; her breathing slowed. Gray was still sucking wind, as if he had run a mile.

"You have no idea what you've done!" he yelled.

"I put a dangerous and demented wizard in prison where he belongs." Laura forced herself to open her eyes. "And you're next." She glared as hard as she could through the pain, and based on the even angrier look that clouded Gray's face, it appeared she was successful.

It probably wasn't smart to piss him off even more, but what else could she do at this point?

"You stupid, stupid girl," Gray said, his voice lowering to an angry growl.

Laura stared up at him defiantly. If this was to be it, then she wouldn't go out cowering.

The world seemed to still outside of her flat as her father raised his wand. The barking dogs quieted and the chattiness of her neighbors disappeared, oblivious to the horror happening to their neighbor.

As his lips began to move, Laura's hair once again stood on end. Her eyes moved from her father to her front door, wondering what else could be out there when she was here at her last second.

Before Gray could even say "Ava-" her front door blew apart with a loud and sharp bang.

Laura turned on her stomach, protecting her head with her shaking hands. She heard a pop and then a moment later, somebody gently touched her shoulder.

Laura took a deep breath. She hoped that her murderer wouldn't touch her so kindly before ending her. She moved her hands away from her head to look.

"Percival?" she said in surprise. She looked around quickly and saw they were alone.

Her boss was kneeling at her side, his hand still gingerly touching her shoulder and concern etched in every line on his face. He looked older than his gentle 43 years.

Laura couldn't help it; holding back tears, she sat up and launched herself into his arms, wincing with pain from the movement. Graves closed his grip on her quickly, without hesitation.

They stayed like that for too long, Laura knew, but after the night she had, she was starved for a kind touch.

"Thank you for coming," Laura finally whispered.

Graves pulled back and held her face in his hands, gently stroking her now tear streaked cheeks with his thumbs.

"I'm so sorry, Laura," he said softly. "You should never have been in this position. Somebody should have been watching you. We should have expected this."

She could almost hear the reasoning his voice: _we were distracted by sleeping together_. Maybe if Laura hadn't said anything to him tonight she would have been with him. If only she had kept her mouth shut for just a little longer.

Laura swallowed hard. "It's my own fault."

He shook his head, let her face go from his gentle grip, and stood up. He held his hands out for her. "Can you stand?" he asked.

She took another deep breath and reached up. Pain shot through her wand hand as she tried to grip Graves' hand, so she tried to lean on her left side as Graves helped pull her to her feet. Her legs shook and her stomach was turning over, but she was standing.

"Let's pack some of your things and get you out of here. When we leave, I'll send word for someone to clean all of this up," Graves said as he led her to her bedroom.

Laura sat on her bed and watched as Graves magicked some of her things into her trunk. He handed her her shoe and coat so she could redress herself for the outdoors.

"Anything else?" he asked, looking around.

"A few books as well, if you don't mind," she said softly.

Graves smiled. "Of course."

Once her things were packed, Graves held the handle of her trunk in one hand and extended his other hand to her.

"Where am I going?" she asked, looking up at him, slowly stretching her hand to his.

"You're going to stay with me."

Laura pulled her hand back as if she touched fire.

"With you?" she asked, her voice too high.

Graves nodded. "Yes. I don't trust anyone else to watch you. Particularly with Gray involved."

Her throat went dry as she stared up at him, determination and confidence in his eyes. "You were the one that watched my flat when I thought I had that stalker, weren't you?"

Her boss, the man that had once been almost an enemy of sorts, and then her lover, nodded. "I couldn't trust anyone else to do it."

Laura wanted to yell at him. How stupid of him to spend all day at work and then watch her flat all night. Instead, she shook her head.

"What if someone finds out?" she asked.

"We'll deal with it then." He wiggled his fingers. "Please, Laura, come with me."

She thought about it for a moment. Hadn't she wanted this just an hour ago? But it was for a different reason. Laura wanted to be _with_ him, but not purely because he was trying to protect her from her insane father.

Sighing lightly, Laura stood up from the bed, extended her hand and touched her fingertips to his soft palm.

With a pop, they were gone. A second later, they were in an alleyway in a part of town that Laura didn't immediately recognize. Keeping hold of her hand, Graves led her out of the alley and up the steps of the home next to the alleyway. A simple brick three-story home, it certainly didn't look like it belonged to someone from the famous Graves wizarding family.

Graves led her into the house and then quickly shut the door behind them. The foyer was far more spectacular than the outside led anyone to believe. A high ceiling that had a chandelier hanging over her head lit up the beautiful scene before her. Laura stepped across the black and white tile and began to truly wonder if she belonged with Graves. Yes, Laura did come from two old, and generally pureblood, English wizarding family, but it felt different. Maybe because she so wished she wasn't from those families, so the idea of joining another one unnerved her.

But Graves was nothing like her family; that much was certain.

But what really caught her eye was a portrait. Laura quietly walked up to the portrait. It was new; Laura could practically still smell the paint. The feature of the portrait was an older woman with soft green eyes that sparkled against her porcelain skin and white hair. The woman gazed down at Laura with a quizzical look, but said nothing, only smiling softly. It was a familiar smile.

"Mother, this is Laura Maurette," Graves said, coming up beside Laura. "Laura, this is my mother."

The smile on the older woman's face grew. "Ah, the Auror who is a fan of _The Gentle Sway_."

Laura smiled back. "It's a pleasure, Mrs. Graves."

The matriarch's eyes moved to her son and the trunk at his side, then back to Laura. "Moving in, dear?"

Laura felt her cheeks grow hot.

Graves chuckled beside her. "I'm afraid not, mother. Laura's father is trying to kill her, so I'm going to watch her for a while until we can find her a new, and safe, place to live."

The woman smiled knowingly at her son, almost as if they shared a secret. Likely, Laura mused, they did.

"Good, Percival. I'm glad to see you're finally becoming the Director your father and I always hoped you would be."

Laura felt Graves still at her side. She wondered what it might be like to be raised in an old wizarding family that wasn't so evil, that wanted decent, good things for their children, even if it was to follow the family path into the Government.

"It's late, mother. Laura has had a difficult night," he said as he gently pushed on Laura's back to guide her towards the marble staircase. Laura heard his mother say goodnight as they moved away.

As they climbed the stairs, Laura could feel the toll of the night creeping into her every muscle and bone. With every step, pain returned to her core. She was breathing heavily by the time they landed on the third floor.

Graves guided her to an impressive bedroom with a stunning four poster bed with a thin fabric hanging around the bed. Graves set her trunk down at the end of the bed.

"I do have a few potions if you need something for the pain," he said, noticing the sweat on her forehead and neck.

Laura smiled gratefully. "I think that's the only way I'll sleep."

He nodded and left the room, his coat flowing around him as he shut the door.

Gasping, Laura fell towards the bed, her legs shaking beneath her. She managed to pull the curtain aside and fall onto the remarkably soft bed, her face buried in the blanket on top. Resisting the urge to scream, Laura let herself rest for a moment. Although her limbs were still shaking, she finally turned over and sat up on the bed to pull off her coat and shoes.

She tried desperately to calm her breathing and the shaking in her limbs before Graves returned. She had no doubt she would not be going into work the next day, but she couldn't be out for long.

What would Graves tell people, she wondered. Would Tina and Queenie find out that her father had attacked her?

 _Mercy Lewis,_ Laura thought, _if Queenie got anywhere near Graves she would likely figure out that Laura was living, albeit temporarily, with her boss._

Laura hoped Queenie would stay far from Graves. She didn't think the blonde would tell anyone, but she figured Queenie would have words with Graves. Laura still wasn't sure if Queenie knew about Laura and Graves.

Not that there was much to know now.

A few minutes later, Graves knocked on the door.

"Come in."

He opened the door. Clearly comfortable in his own home, Graves had gotten rid of his coat and scarf, his jacket, and even his waistcoat. Laura couldn't deny the way it felt in her throat and between her thighs to see him so undressed.

She cleared her throat and accepted the potion he held in his hands. Her left hand shook and she knew her boss noticed, but he said nothing. After she drank the potion, she returned the empty vial to him.

"My room is on the second floor if you need anything." He turned to leave, but paused. "I worry you didn't understand. I mean it, Laura, if you need anything, come get me or send me a Patronus. _Anything_." He gave her a pointed look and waited until Laura nodded.

Graves turned and left, shutting the door behind him once again.

Laura sat on the bed for a few minutes, letting the potion begin to do its work before she pulled herself up the bed and laid her head on the pillow. Breathing in the scent of the Graves home one last time, Laura closed her eyes and let sleep take her.


	43. Originem

**Chapter 43- Originem**

Her eyes slowly opened, fighting against the sunlight streaming through the curtains and into her room. Laura took in the unfamiliar scent, jarring her scrambled brain.

She shot up from the bed in a panic and instantly regretted doing so. Pain ripped through her injured body, every muscles seemingly screaming in unison.

Laura groaned and shut her eyes, trying to force the worst of it away.

Where was she again? What had happened to her?

Slowly, the memories returned like a bitter punch to the face. Gray killing James. Gray breaking into her flat and torturing her. Graves rescuing her and bringing her to his home.

Now Laura remembered, she was in Graves' home.

The pain turned to a distant throb and she was finally able to open her eyes.

Laura looked around the bedroom. It appeared to have been set up for a young woman at some point. A sister? Or a girlfriend? Or just a room?

She took a few more minutes to gather her wits before climbing out of bed to put herself together. Laura changed out of the clothes she had been wearing for too long and took fresh clothes with her into the bathroom. Through shaking hands, Laura cleaned herself and then dressed for the day.

As she wandered into the hallway and down the stairs, she wondered what time it was. Had Graves already gone to work to clean up the mess she had created?

What lies would he tell to cover up for her? What would the others think? What would Tina and Queenie think of what happened to her?

By the time Laura reached the ground floor, her legs had begun to wobble from pain and lack of food. When had she last eaten? How long would it take for her to get over the effects of the Cruciatus Curse inflicted upon her by her own father?

After taking a breather, Laura headed down the hallway, hoping to find a kitchen. Based on most home designs, she figured it would be in the back of the house. Laura had to admit, it was a gorgeous home. She passed by a few more portraits; each studying her without saying a word.

Laura had never gotten used to living with the portraits of dead relatives. In her case, they were all foul, vile people and not really anyone she wanted to listen to.

At the back of the house, Laura tested a swinging door and did, indeed, find the kitchen. She stood in the room for a moment, leaning on the counter for stability while she listened to the house around her.

How long had the Graves family lived here? Was this always the site of the family's home in America? Had Gondolphus Graves lived here as well? Laura had always envisioned a sprawling mansion somewhere hidden far from the bustle of the city. This house was nice, but it just seemed too simple for The Graves.

Feeling slightly better on her feet, Laura moved towards the refrigerator, hoping that Graves kept any food in the house; she wasn't really sure how much time he spent here. She opened the door and bent over to stick her head in. Thankfully, he did have some food.

"Oh good, you're making yourself at home," Graves said suddenly from behind her.

Laura gasped and jerked, hitting her head on the appliance. She moved backwards and lifted her head to see Graves moving through the kitchen, dressed for work in a familiar black suit.

"Good morning," she said, closing the door of the refrigerator, trying not to look like a child who had gotten caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

Graves chuckled as he reached into a cabinet for a cup and plate. "Afternoon, actually."

Laura blanched. Had she really slept the morning away?

"Sit, please," he ordered gently, gesturing towards the dining table. Laura did as asked.

Graves moved comfortably around the kitchen, never using magic to aid him as he made her food. The simple fact greatly amused her. She hadn't taken Graves for someone to do much without magic.

"I suspect you slept well," he commented, cracking eggs into a pan on the stove.

"I suspect I did." Laura let her right arm drop to her lap, hiding its shaking from her boss. She flexed her fist, silently begging it to stop. She watched his back as he worked, unable to stop herself from envisioning a life with him. "Thank you."

He looked at her from over his shoulder.

"For saving me," she added sheepishly.

"Consider it a repayment for the bookstore, if you must." He smiled lightly as he went back to making her eggs and toast. Laura was happy to see him make her tea as well. She did so dislike coffee.

Finally, her food was prepared and Graves set the cup of tea and plate in front of her, then took the seat diagonal from her to watch her eat.

Laura ate slowly and carefully, still not trusting her shaking limbs.

"We should talk," Graves said after a few minutes of silence. He leaned back in his chair, legs spread enticingly.

"About?" She knew he would need to debrief her about her mistakes at her flat. Laura avoided his stare, which she could feel burning into her cheeks. She also avoided looking at his legs.

"I didn't respond that night because I was afraid," he said.

Laura paused in her movements, his words hanging in the air. Graves afraid? That was new.

"I am your boss, Laura. If Picquery or anyone finds out, we're both fired. You have a promising career ahead of you. I don't want to ruin that."

Laura looked up at him. His eyes burned with conviction, but she could see the hint of sadness in there as well. Laura had never seen him so open. She set her silverware down and swallowed what was in her mouth.

"I know the risks," she said in a strong voice, trying to convince herself more than him.

"I care about you; more than I should. I didn't trust you at first, but you showed your true character day after day. You showed me light and you made me want something other than this job.

"But there is a danger in that, as you know from San Francisco. We can't put other people's lives on the line. No matter how much I care about you."

Laura could feel tears welling in her eyes. She wanted to grab hold of Graves and never let go. But he was right. Dougal had gotten Benjamin hurt because he cared more about Orla than the others.

Aurors couldn't do that. Laura couldn't do that.

"But I care about you," he continued. "I want to try," he paused and held out his hands," this."

Laura swallowed. Graves wanted to try a relationship? He wanted more than just an office romance?

"Are you-, are you sure?" she asked, suddenly questioning her own desire. Was this really worth it? He was right, if they got caught, it would mean public embarrassment and the end of their careers.

"I wouldn't say it if I wasn't sure, Laura." He leaned forward on the table, staring deep into her eyes.

On the other hand, she was sort of a social pariah, wasn't she? She didn't have much to lose.

But maybe she had everything to gain.

"Okay, then. Let's try it."


	44. Monopoly on Truth

**Chapter 44- Monopoly on Truth**

After lunch, and after more potions, Laura changed into better work attire and followed Graves from his home. She held onto the sleeve of his coat as they apparated to a street nearby MACUSA headquarters.

As much as she would rather be back in bed, resting, Laura knew she had to be questioned. And it had to be done right.

She just hoped Graves wouldn't be too disappointed in her.

Graves led her to his office where Limus and Carneirus were already waiting patiently. Limus gave her his usual glare, while Carneirus looked apologetic. Laura wondered if Limus would ever not hate her.

The Director took his seat behind his desk and motioned for the trio to sit. Laura sat in the middle, flanked by her superiors.

"Take us through the events of the night, please, Laura," Graves said after getting a quill and paper ready.

Laura took a deep breath, flexed her hand, and began the story. She started with running into James in the hallway and her concerns, then being in her flat and Gray coming after her. Laura was not happy to admit she was in her bedroom without her wand.

"Where _was_ your wand?" Limus asked, interrupting her story.

"In my coat," she answered, looking down at her injured hand.

"And where was your coat?" he asked, pushing.

"Hanging next to my front door."

Limus made a disapproving noise and Laura stopped herself from saying anything snarky. She had to just present the facts; that was all.

"Continue," Graves ordered in a soft voice.

Laura looked up at him. He was leaning on his hand, his fingers splayed out across his face. Interested, but still that stony look he reserved for work.

She continued her story, including the part where she sent Graves a _Patronus_ and up to when he arrived at her flat. The room fell silent at the end of her story.

"So Gray Goyle is still out there," Limus said, clearly disappointed.

"I'm more concerned with why he wanted Logan so badly," Graves remarked, sitting up in his chair and leaning forward on his desk. "Say it again."

" _You have no idea what you've done_ ," she said again, repeating her father's words.

"What, pray tell, did we do by putting Logan in prison?" Graves asked, more for himself than for anyone else.

Laura couldn't help the chill that rolled through her. "They were in San Francisco together last year. A meeting," she found herself saying.

"Planning something," Carneirus added. "But that was six months ago. Why take so long?"

"Waiting for orders?" Laura asked. "Or if Gray is putting a new curse together, depending on the severity, what harm he wants to cause, it can take a year."

"How do we find out?" Limus asked, finally speaking again, following the train of thought in the room.

Laura looked away from Graves, afraid of what her boss might order her to do. Gray Goyle was dangerous. Not just because he was her father, but because he had an impressive, and unknown, arsenal of spells in his collection. Laura silently begged Graves not to ask the impossible of her.

"Gray Goyle is too dangerous. We will have to bide our time," Graves finally answered, leaning back in his chair once more.

A huge sigh of relief flooded from Laura's chest. No doubt Gray would come after her again, but at least it wouldn't be right away.

"In the meantime, Limus, have Leegna and Grover compile a new, expanded file on Goyle. Get them in contact with whomever they need at the Ministry of Magic and get everything we can on him. Any information on any spell that's known, as well," Graves ordered.

Limus stood immediately and nodded.

"And include this," Graves said, waving his hand over the stack of papers that had just been written up from the meeting. The papers flew through the air towards Limus, who plucked them out of the air and tucked them under his arm before leaving the office.

Carneirus looked to his boss, waiting for his orders.

"We need to find Laura a new home. Somewhere safe. We'll need a watch on her as well, for the time being until we can find a way to track Goyle." Graves stood up from his chair and leaned forward on his desk, staring intently at Carneirus. "You will not tell anyone about this. Only those we can explicitly trust. Be careful of who you put your trust in. If Goyle finds Laura, I'll hold _you_ responsible."

Carneirus and Laura looked at Graves, confused. "You don't trust your own Aurors?" Laura found herself asking.

"Goyle found you, somehow. I wouldn't put it past anyone, Laura. There is always a mole," he said. He gave Carneirus a pointed look. "Am I completely understood?"

The man nodded. "Crystal clear, sir." He stood up, gave Laura a reassuring look, and then left the office, shutting the door behind him. Graves sat back in his chair.

"If Gray is planning something, likely Grindelwald's behind it," Laura said after a few moments of silence.

She remembered Logan's words. _You could easily sit at Grindelwald's right hand._ Those weren't the words of someone who was never in the man's presence. Logan had to be getting pretty close to Grindelwald, Laura believed.

"You think so?"

"It just feels too big for it to just be Gray coming after me. Logan was with Lorne Patterson, Gregor Favila, and Wylda Grogan. Grindelwald may hate her, but he still keeps her around." Laura shrugged.

Graves looked pensive for a moment, thinking it over. "Grogan _is_ still here. I'll question her myself later." He looked at Laura, concern now filling his eyes. Laura wasn't sure she would ever get used to this. "Let me take you to the healer and then home."

 _Home_. A weird joy filled her stomach at the word.

Laura nodded, acquiescing without a word. She followed Graves out of the office and upstairs to the healers.

She couldn't help but wonder, how long would this last? How long until someone caught them or until Graves changes his mind?

And then her mind wandered to his previous girlfriends. Did he even have any? She was still fairly certain that Graves and Picquery had slept together at some point. Was that why the President didn't like her now? Did she suspect?

One thing was sure Laura needed to work on her occulmency. Queenie could not find out the truth.

Patricia Claymore, the healer, tutted disapprovingly at Laura and reminded her she needed to take it easy. She gave her more potions for the pain, signs to look out for, and sent her home with Graves.

Back at his house, Graves led her back up to her bedroom, telling her about the wards on the house and what to do in an emergency.

"I'm going to talk to Grogan and then come home," he said.

Laura tried not to smile. "I promise to rest," she swore.

Graves nodded, turned to leave, and then turned back. With a gentleness that she was still getting used to from him, he laid his hand on her cheek, caressing it softly as he leaned in and kissed her forehead.

Laura tried not to swoon. How was that so utterly intimate?

"Rest," he ordered, giving her one last soft smile before leaving.

Laura leaned against the door frame as she watched him leave. When he was out of sight, she stripped down to her under things and climbed into bed. She needed to rest and then get ready for tonight.

She had never lived with a man before or even another women, besides her roommates at Hogwarts. Although she and Dougal had spent many weekends together, she wouldn't really say they had lived together. After Laura ran away from home, she was on her own.

This was a new experience and if they were only going to live together for a short time, then she would take advantage of it. Merlin knows this may be her only chance.

After sleeping for a couple of hours, Laura awoke and hurried into the shower. She cleaned and redressed for the third time that day, this time into a simple, but cute, blue dress.

Hurrying downstairs, Laura headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner for them. She made a mental note, as she looked through the refrigerator and pantry, to pick up more food for the pair tomorrow. Luckily, Laura did find some potatoes and a couple of steaks.

She kept her eye on the clock in the kitchen, wondering when Graves would get home. Obviously questioning Grogan had taken quite a lot of time. As the potatoes boiled, she couldn't help but begin to doubt herself. Was she doing too much? Would he even make it home before late? Would he like her cooking for him?

Laura shook her head clear. "Just breathe," she reminded herself. Graves had brought her into his home. He told her he wanted to try a relationship. He trusted her.

This would be fine.

His timing was perfect.

Just as Laura was putting the steak and potatoes on the plates, she heard the front door open.

She smiled nervously as she set the plates down on the table and found a bottle of wine and a pair of glasses.

"Laura?" he questioned, standing in the doorway.

She turned to him, trying to wipe the nervousness away. "Hungry?"

He smiled appreciatively, knocking the last of her doubt away, and took the bottle of wine and glasses from her.

Laura sat down and watched while he poured the wine for them, another voice in her head wondering how many women he had done this for.

Why did it matter?

"Thank you for cooking," he said as he sat down, unbuttoning his jacket.

"My pleasure."

They settled into a comfortable silence as they ate. Laura couldn't stop herself from thinking about what it would be like to be his wife.

A true fantasy.

"Did Grogan give you anything more?" Laura asked before taking another bite of steak.

"Possibly," he answered. In between eating and drinking, Graves told her about his interrogation of Wylda Grogan.

The woman was scheduled to be out on trial within the next month, so she was to remain at MACUSA for now.

Graves explained that Gogan seemed even more unhinged than normal. Paranoid, even.

"Gray didn't mention breaking anyone else out? Just Logan?"

Laura confirmed it. "Do you think she's worried she's been forgotten or worried someone may come for her after all?"

"I'm not sure," was his answer. He leaned on the table, exhibiting poor table manners, but Laura kept her snarky comment to herself.

"As ever, we end up with more questions than answers." How would they be able to find out what Gray, or worse yet Grindelwald, was planning? Right now, Laura wished she had questioned Logan more.

But as Laura watched Graves finish his dinner, she didn't want to think about Logan or Gray or Grindelwald.

She just wanted Graves.

Once they had finished eating, Laura moved to take the plates, but Graves held out his hand to stop her.

"Sit, relax. I'll clean up."

Laura sat back in her chair and watched as Graves stood and took his jacket off. He then undid his cufflinks and rolled his sleeves up, baring his forearms.

She crossed her legs and squeezed her thighs. There was just something about a man with his sleeves rolled up.

Graves moved from the table to the kitchen sink and began to work to clean up the mess from dinner. Laura watched him silently, drinking what was left of her wine. She watched his muscles move beneath his white silk shirt.

What right did one man have to be so stunning and delicious? How unfair that he was her boss.

Laura tried to imagine a world where she didn't come from such a shitty family. What if she had been an American? They were too far apart in age to have met at school, but she could imagine meeting him as a student and falling in love. He must have been popular of Ilvermorny. Surely, he had his pick of girls at school.

What had young Percival Graves been like? Had he always been so sure of himself? So in charge?

"What are you thinking about?" Graves asked, startling Laura from her imagination.

She jumped slightly. "Just wondering what you were like at school," she answered truthfully.

Graves had finished all of the dishes except for the wine glasses and was drying off his hands. He chuckled as he set the towel on the counter.

"I wasn't very cool," he said.

Laura snorted. "I can't imagine that at all."

He shrugged before finishing his wine with a gulp, then took her empty glass and his and set it on the counter. He turned back to her and held out his hands. "Maybe I'll show you my photos one day," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Laura slid her hands into his, enjoying the feeling, and stood up. She leaned on her tip toes and kissed his nose. "I'm sure you were the guy everyone wanted to be or be with."

Graves' cheeks tinged red slightly. "I didn't grow into my looks until I was an adult."

"Oh, so you admit it. You do think you're handsome," she joked as she let go of his hands and walked out of the kitchen. She heard Graves laugh behind her.

"I see the way women look at me," he said, grabbing her waist from behind as they walked. "And some men."

Laura wondered what Tina thought of Graves. They hadn't discussed him much, outside of what he was like as a boss, but Laura had sometimes caught Tina gazing at Graves with longing.

At the bottom of the stairs, Laura turned to Graves. She had an idea. But would he go with it?

She smiled at him playfully. "First girlfriend?" she questioned.

He looked confused for a moment, but answered. "Um, I was 13. Her name was Giselle."

Laura went up one step and raised an eyebrow at him.

Again, a moment passed and then he caught on. "First kiss?"

"Benjamin Cutter. Muggle boy down the street. We were 10."

Graves joined her on the first step.

"Yours?" she asked.

"Molly Rowaily. First year at Ilvermorny."

On and on they went, each asking a question until they reached the next floor. Graves had the final question. He thought it over for a moment before smiling and taking her hand. "Will you stay the night with me?" he asked, almost like a teenage boy.

Laura almost blushed and giggled. Instead, she retained her composure and nodded. "Of course."

Graves led her down the hall to what was presumably his bedroom. It was simple, yet stylish. A king sized bed took up most of the space. There was no mess on the floor, no clothes strewn about. Besides his bed and dresser, there was just a bookshelf with books and some odds and ends.

Before Laura could start to look around, Graves took her in his arms and began to kiss her, holding her flush against his chest. She melted in his arms, returning the kiss feverishly.

She could explore his shelves later.


	45. Reverence (Living in the Heart)

**Chapter 45- Reverence (Living in the Heart)**

 _June 1925_

Laura spent just two weeks living secretly with Graves before Carneirus found her a flat near MACUSA. She had been sad to leave, but it was dangerous to live with Graves for any longer than that. They were already pushing things too hard.

Not only did she work on her occulmency, but Laura also practiced ignoring Graves while they were at work. She practiced impassiveness when he looked at her, tried not to giggle when he looked at her, and tried not to search him out at any given moment. The hardest part was not daydreaming, but she was getting better at focusing on work and not what she would do to him at night.

For now, Graves, Limus, Carneirus, and Minali shared watcher duty on Laura's flat. She felt terrible that they had to give their nights to keeping her safe, but not even Limus grumbled about it.

Once they caught Gray, then all could go back to normal.

Since she had aurors watching her new place, she and Graves saw less of each other. Literally.

He took his job of protecting her seriously, so he wasn't willing to mess around with her when he was on duty. And he couldn't be around when the others were, so they had gone back to stealing kisses in his office.

After more than a month with nothing more than kisses and heavy petting, Laura was fed up. She cornered him in his office one night before he was supposed to take her home and be on guard duty.

He smiled when he saw her, already beginning to get ready to leave for the night. Laura shut the door behind her and made sure to lock it. Laura tossed her wand on a chair as she walked quickly towards Graves. He realized what she was after quickly, recognizing that look in her eyes.

"Laura," he said, holding up his hands.

She grabbed him by his waistcoat under his open jacket and pulled him to her. "For the love of Merlin, fuck me, please," she begged. Laura pushed up on her toes and crushed her lips to his.

Graves stilled for a moment and then his body responded. He pushed her until her back was against his glass cabinets and his body was pinning her in. He lifted her skirt until it was bunched around her waist, then grabbed her by the ass and lifted her up.

Laura wrapped her legs around him gratefully then helped him unbuckle his pants. With a swift, practiced movement, Graves pulled her panties aside and pushed inside her quickly. Laura groaned from the pressure of his length. She feared she was growing addicted to fucking him.

Graves fucked her quickly, moving swiftly inside her, panting in her ear as he leaned his head against the glass next to her. Laura held onto his shoulders tightly as he moved, savoring the feeling of his body in her grip.

He finished minutes later, spilling down her thigh. Laura took a moment before she relinquished her hold on him and set her slightly shaky feet on the ground. She adjusted her clothes and waved her hand over her legs to clean up the evidence of their evening tryst.

"Now you can take me home," she said, smiling at her boss.

Carneirus had found Laura a homey flat not far from MACUSA. It was a building full of witches and wizards, so it wouldn't be too odd if they noticed Aurors, but it still posed a risk. But Carneirus had dug deep into everyone else that lived in the building and didn't find anyone that posed a risk.

He was deeply worried about letting Graves down and getting Laura hurt or killed by not being thorough enough.

As always, Graves, in a slight disguise, followed up to her flat. He always made sure she got in safely. Laura unlocked her door and started to push it open before turning to smile at Graves.

There was so much she wanted to tell him. He was giving up so much to keep her safe. She knew, on some level, he would do the same for his other aurors, but she also knew he was doing slightly more. It worried her and made her feel warm inside. Instead, Laura said what she always said, "good night."

He smiled back at her.

Laura slid her hand inside the door and turned on the lights, an odd habit she had started when she moved in. She then turned and pushed through her door.

But then she stopped.

Her dining room table had candles and a China set for two people out, as well as a small bouquet of roses sitting in the middle of the table. Her jaw dropped in surprise.

"Happy anniversary," Graves whispered from behind her. He guided her into the flat, shut the door, locked it, and set the wards before turning back to Laura, who was still stunned. She looked at Graves in confusion.

What anniversary? Six months of fucking? What was he talking about?

"It's been two years since you came to MACUSA," he clarified. His smile was one of a playful child, having successfully surprised someone.

A light bulb went off in her head. Had it really been two years?

The confusion changed to pure happiness. This was the nicest and most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her. Laura wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him, trying to convey even an ounce of what she felt.

Graves' arms snaked around her waist, holding her gently.

"Thank you," Laura breathed when they finally pulled apart.

"Come, let's eat," he said, taking her hand and leading her to the table. She missed the warmth of his arms around her, but she was curious as to what he had made.

Graves had somehow prepared a 3-course meal for her, complete with the best red win that Laura had ever tasted. The lamb rack had been cooked to perfection. Laura tried to savor every taste and memory.

"No regrets?" Graves asked as they each ate a slice of New York cheesecake, covered in fresh strawberries.

Laura shook her head. "Not really. Even if certain things were awful, it led me here. Sure, I'd like to have never fallen for Dougal's lies, but it happened." She shrugged. "I do wish I had given you the what for much sooner," she joked.

A small smile appeared on Graves' lips. "I do regret being so awful to you. I should have told you why I wanted you to question Cassidy. I do care about my aurors. I need to. I was just angry that Picquery went over my head. She's never done that before."

Laura paused in her eating. She could tell that Graves was genuinely remorseful about the way he treated her in the beginning. She reached across the table with her free hand and grasped Graves' hand, smiling at him.

She no longer blamed him for his attitude two years ago. Laura now knew why he was the way he was. Being in charge of people's lives couldn't be easy.

"Why do you think Picquery went over your head?" Laura asked after a moment, letting go of Graves' hand so she could finish her dessert.

"I'm not sure. I've always wondered about that. She might just have been impressed by your record at the Ministry."

Laura nodded, but she wasn't sure. She still just couldn't figure Picquery out.

After dessert was done and the dishes cleaned, they blew out the candles and cleaned off the table to restore it to its normal look. Then, Graves led Laura to her bedroom, undressing as they went.

"I would never condone such actions on any other day," he said through kisses and panting. "But tonight is special."

"Understood," Laura said before pulling Graves into her bedroom and shutting the door behind them.


	46. La'petach Chatat Rovetz

**Chapter 46- La'petach Chatat Rovetz**

 **Author's Note:** **Oh I'm so sorry this took so long! I have had a crazy couple of months and the last half of this chapter just did not want to come out. But it's here! I am going to be doing NaNoWriMo for a new novel, but I will hopefully still have time to work on this. I certainly don't want to take another two months for one more chapter!**

 **Hopefully seeing the new film in a couple of weeks will help a few more chapters come flying out!**

As the weeks wore on, everyone fully settled into their new routine. Laura quickly told Tina and Queenie about what was going on and naturally, they were worried.

"You could live with us, you know" Tina said one day at work, whispering from her desk.

Laura looked over at Tina, whose desk was now next to Laura's, pausing in her work of reading mountains of paperwork on yet another dark wizard. She tried not to look too dubious at her friend. "Teen, please. I would _never_ put you and Queenie in danger like that."

Laura had considered the possibility in the beginning, but quickly put it aside. It was simply far too dangerous. Queenie didn't deserve that kind of upheaval in her life. And most of all, Laura did not want to put her two friends in danger.

Tina huffed. "You shouldn't be alone," she whispered.

 _I'm not,_ Laura wanted to say. Instead, she smiled kindly at Tina. "It's only for a little while, yeah? Just until we find Gray. Limus and Minali are on it. I'm not worried."

Tina looked like she wanted to reply, but instead she closed her mouth and went back to her work.

Laura felt bad that she hadn't spent much time with her friends lately. Most of her free time, before Gray had found her, was spent with Graves or thinking about Graves. Now she was spending even less time with them, somehow. No more lunches, no more quick chats. Just work.

What an awful friend she had been.

After a moment, Laura leaned over. "How about you and Queenie come over for dinner tonight, yeah?" Laura suggested.

Her friend looked over, a huge smile on her face. "I bet Queenie would love that! Will Graves mind?"

Laura shrugged. "Better mine than your place, I suppose?" It was Graves' night to watch her place. She would make sure Graves understood that this dinner was necessary. He likely wouldn't be happy, but Laura had to spend time with other people.

She just hoped that Gray wouldn't pick tonight to come back around.

At the end of the work day, Laura took her file she had been working on and headed for Graves' office to hand over her work and tell him about the upcoming impromptu dinner. Heading down the hallway, she watched as Limus left Graves' office.

"Gray's been sighted in Sydney, Australia," he said as he came up to Laura.

She nodded. "Let's hope it's true and that he stays there for a while."

Limus tilted his head slightly, an ever so slight look of confusion on his face. "You don't want to catch him?"

She shook her head. "It's not that." Laura tried not to subconsciously flex her hand, but it was as if the mere mention of her father sent pain through her hand. "I just don't know if I'm ready for him to come back yet."

He regarded her for a moment and then, seemingly accepting her answer, nodded. "You're safe. When Gray comes back, we'll protect you." Limus then stepped around her and headed back to the office.

Laura looked over her shoulder to watch Limus walk away. Just when she thought she had figured him out, he did something like this. Laura had never expected Limus to be okay with any of this. She couldn't help but wonder if Graves had given him a stern talking to.

Or maybe, with his own crazy cousin on the run, he understood what Laura was going through on some level.

Smiling, Laura turned back around and continued her walk to Graves' office. She paused outside of his door and knocked, waiting for him to call her in.

"Come in," he called out in his familiar low, gravelly voice.

Laura pushed open the door, stepped inside, and quickly shut it behind her. "Good evening," she said as she walked to his desk and held the file out for him. "Johan Battenburg has been spotted in St. Louis. Carneirus is letting the office know."

Graves took the file, nodding. Laura stood in front of his desk, waiting as he looked over the file quickly.

"Good work. Aberdeen in St. Louis should do well in finding Battenburg. Thank you," he said. He set the file down and stretched his arms high above his head, his waistcoat riding high on his stomach.

"About tonight," Laura began.

Graves took on his usual stony look, setting his hands on the desk in front of him. "Are you about to ask something ridiculous of me?"

She smirked. He knew her so well already. "Tina and Queenie are coming for dinner."

Graves held her stare, clearly unhappy with the news even if the look on his face had not changed. "I don't suppose I have a say."

"I know it's a risk, Graves, but I also know that they are the first friends I ever made here and I can't push them away. That would be letting Gray win. Tina is an auror as well if something were to happen. Queenie's not as dumb as people think, either, I'll have you know."

Hands clasped together in front of him, Graves continued to regard Laura in stony silence. But after two years, Laura knew the man's tricks. He didn't intimidate her quite as much as he used to. Her heart still skipped a beat at his stare, but she didn't let it show.

"Minali will join me in watching over your apartment. Then she'll see the Goldstein's home safely. No funny business, hmm? Dinner and then send them home," he finally said after far too long of a pause.

She allowed herself to grin brilliantly at him. "Thank you. I'm ready when you are," she said, giving him a quick wink before spinning on her heel.

Laura quickly returned to her desk to get ready to leave, stopping briefly at Minali's desk to tell her of the new plans.

Tina was waiting at her desk, fingers drumming nervously on the wood as she waited for Laura to return and tell her the news. Laura gave her friend a big smile.

"Graves agreed. You and Queenie are coming over for dinner!"

Graves and Minali escorted Laura home, with Graves seeing her to her door while Minali took her post out front of the building, disguising herself so no one would recognize her as an auror.

"Be careful tonight," Graves warned. He stood just inches from her, close enough for Laura to smell that subtle aftershave on his jaw; close enough for her to see the twitch in his lips as he caught her staring.

Laura knew he was warning her about being sloppy; about Gray coming from her, but she wanted to tell him the real danger for them tonight was Queenie.

She assumed Queenie wouldn't rat them out, but that was too much power for the blonde to have. Laura trusted no one, not even her two closest friends, with her secret. This secret could destroy Graves' career and reputation.

So why wouldn't she just walk away?

Laura nodded. "I will try to remain vigilant. Don't go falling asleep on me now," she joked, resisting the urge to caress his face. She instead pulled her hands behind her back.

He cracked a small smile. "Have fun."

Graves turned away from her and headed down the hallway. Laura watched him leave, feeling wistful when he was gone. She headed into her flat and began working on dinner for the trio of women.

As Laura moved about her kitchen, she went through her routine of calming her mind in preparation for using occulmency. She wondering, for a moment as the chicken cooked, what would happen if she let Queenie see the truth.

How would the young woman react to knowing that Laura was seeing the Director of Magical Security? Queenie was a nice woman. The only times Laura had ever seen her get angry and mean was when Tina was involved. Queenie would do anything for Tina and vice versa.

How would Tina feel about the affair? Most of the women in the office, hell MACUSA, had a crush on Graves.

Would Tina feel slighted that Laura hadn't told her? That it had happened at all?

It would be freeing, Laura had to admit, to tell someone about her and Graves; to be able to share her deepest secret. Tina and Queenie were her closest friends and yet she couldn't tell them how happy she was.

Would her life ever be not unfair?

Although, to be fair to the universe, this was her fault. She _was_ the idiot who fell for her boss.

Laura moved about her kitchen, preferring to cook the muggle way. Some things she used magic for, but she found a certain kind of calmness in cooking like a muggle. Magic was, in a lot of ways, easier if you knew what you were doing, but it honestly lacked something for Laura.

And it kept her busy.

Just as the roast was getting close to finishing in the oven, there was a gentle knock on the front door. Laura walked over and peered through the peek hole before opening the door.

"Hello ladies!" Laura greeted her friends as Queenie and Tina rushed into the apartment, throwing their arms around her.

"Oh it's so good to see you!" Queenie said, gripping Laura tightly.

A beautiful scent filled Laura's nostrils and immediately put her at ease. Queenie had baked fresh bread for tonight. Laura loved Queenie's baking; the young Witch had such a talent for baking and it had been so long since Laura had last enjoyed Queenie's bread.

For just a moment, Laura closed her eyes and enjoyed the smell.

And then she opened her eyes and pulled back, smiling at Queenie and Tina. "Thank you both for coming. I'm so glad you could make it, especially on such short notice."

Queenie smiled brightly. "Like we would pass up a chance to have you cook for us, honey! Plus, it's good to see where you're living now." Queenie began floating through Laura's apartment, gazing at everything in earnest.

Tina smiled apologetically for her sister. "We're both happy to be here."

Laura could feel tears start to sting her eyes; she gave Tina another smile and then went back into the kitchen to finish working on dinner. These two women gave her so much love and support.

If only they had always been friends; _family_.

"Let us help you finish up," Queenie said after familiarizing herself with Laura's new apartment. Laura knew it was pointless to protest, so she let Queenie help her with finishing up with the chicken while Tina set the table.

The girls laughed and chatted throughout dinner; Queenie regaling the older women with stories of life in the Wand Permit Office and about her nervous, awkward boss Abernathy; while Tina spoke about her chance encounter with a crazy cat lady in Times Square.

As the night wore on and the second bottle of wine went empty, the topic began to slowly shift.

"I just don't know how you can sleep knowing what you know," Tina finally said.

The giddy atmosphere in the room began to dissipate, but Laura didn't blame Tina for saying something. Sometimes, Laura could hardly believe she was able to sleep knowing Gray was out there intending on killing her.

"At least that handsome Director is out there to protect you," Queenie said, a smirk on her slightly reddened face and an eyebrow raised.

Laura shook her head and found herself, for the first time tonight, having to actually use occulmency to keep certain thoughts out of her mind.

"He is mighty fine, isn't he?" Tina breathed heavily.

Queenie and Laura turned to Tina, slightly surprised by her tone. Laura had seen the looks, but had never really heard Tina talk about Graves in such a way. It was almost like it was an unspoken truth between the men and women at MACUSA; Percival Graves was sexy.

"I don't tend to notice when he's hiding across the street in the dark, yeah?" Laura joked.

A little push in her mind tore Laura's attention from Tina to Queenie. The blonde was looking at Laura, a small smile on her face. "You really think he's handsome?" Laura asked, giving her an excuse to look harder at Queenie.

She shrugged. "He has a certain something, doesn't he? He knows he's handsome."

"Do you think he'll ever get married?" Tina asked absentmindedly. "The woman would be so lucky."

Laura looked down at the table, swallowing hard. She really didn't want to think about it.

"Or man," Queenie said slyly, sipping at her glass of wine.

Tina and Laura looked at Queenie in surprise and then burst out laughing. In some odd way, Laura could envision Graves being with a man.

But no, she wanted to say. Percival Graves was never going to get married.

Certainly not to her.

She shook her head and drank the last of her wine, hoping that Queenie hadn't heard any of what she had just been thinking. A quick glance to her left, a sly look at the pretty blonde, gave nothing away. If Queenie knew anything, the woman was keeping it secret.

Hopefully, she always would.


	47. Sense Without Sanity

**Chapter 47- Sense Without Sanity**

 _June 1925_

She woke suddenly, but calmly, as the pressure of an arm was draped over her, pulling her tightly into a warm embrace. She relaxed into the embrace. Rough fingers slid over her hands, jarring Laura from her comfort.

Graves' fingers were not coarse. They were silky smooth, belying the rough nature of holding a wand every day.

Graves had not spent the night with her.

Laura rolled over in bed quickly, pulling away from the figure holding her.

Even in the dark, she could see the face so clearly. Haggard, damaged, withered from just three months of abuse and torture under the dementors, Logan Crabbe stared back at Laura. A mischievous smile plastered on his face, he reached for her again.

Her eyes wide, Laura opened her mouth and screamed.

She sat up in her bed, sweating from the heat of summer in New York and the horror of her nightmare. Laura threw herself from the bed, untangling herself from the sheets before hitting the ground. She scrambled to her feet, back against the wall, chest heaving with panicked breaths, as she looked for any sign of Logan.

But she was alone.

It was just a nightmare.

Laura stumbled from her bedroom into the living room, hands shaking as she moved the curtain from her window so she could search the night for a familiar shadow.

Across the street, Graves in disguise was waiting out the night once again.

She wanted to go to him, to have him hold her in his arms and reassure her that Logan was still in Azkaban.

No one had ever escaped from Azkaban. Logan Crabbe wasn't the one coming to get her. It was Gray that she needed to fear.

Laura stared at Graves' shadow for a minute more before closing the curtain and checking the wards, just to be on the safe side. Still shaking and knowing there was no way she could fall back asleep, Laura poured herself a glass of wine and sat down on her couch.

It was the most real dream she had had in some time. Laura could have sworn someone had been there; someone had touched her.

But she was alone.

Even if her hand was still aching, she now wished that Gray would return. Once he was caught, she could sleep well again. He was her only worry right now. There were still a lot of dark wizards out there, but only Gray had her in his sights.

She wanted to sleep again. She wanted to spend the night with Graves again.

That couldn't happen until Gray was caught.

As she drank her wine, she tried not to think of Logan or Gray, but of Tina and Queenie and Graves and Hinton and all of the other good people she knew. They were comforting thoughts, helping her to calm down.

Once her wine was gone, she set the empty glass on the table and lay down on the couch. She needed to try to get some sleep. She closed her eyes and forced her mind to think of Graves and only Graves.

Laura woke as the rising sun began to peak through her curtains. She sighed as she sat up on her couch, her body still exhausted from her nightmare.

But she had no choice. She cleaned herself and dressed for work before meeting the disguised Graves on the street to head to work. They silently made their way to MACUSA, just two workers heading in for a day of work.

She hoped her boss couldn't tell just how tired she was.

Inside MACUSA, Laura and Graves parted ways. She headed to her desk and continued to work on her file for June Peters Hardgrove. A minor dark witch that hadn't committed many crimes yet, but had strong connections to worse dark wizards, she had been on MACUSA's list for a while.

Hinton came into the office not long after Laura and took his seat at his desk near the front of the office.

He had taken time after Grogan, Logan, and the others were caught to stay in the office and not go out into the field. But he was ready to go back out now.

Laura had worried that he didn't trust her anymore, after what Logan had said, but in the past few weeks they seemed to have patched things up.

Just minutes after Limus came into the office, he collected Hinton and Laura and pulled them to the front of the room.

"Graves is sending you two out to watch June," he told them in a quiet voice.

"Is that wise?" Laura questioned. Gray was looking for her. Being out in the field, even just for a stakeout of a minor dark witch, was dangerous.

Limus frowned. "The director seems to think so." He paused and seemed to think. Then he pulled them further out into the hallway, further from the prying ears of the other aurors. "But you both need to be on your guard. If anyone suspects that you're out in the field, Laura, Gray could be there in an instant. Make sure your disguise is perfect," he said quietly. Laura could hear the faintest touch of concern.

Was it genuine? Limus was one of the aurors who was on her watch detail. She worried he, Carneirus, and Minali were growing bitter at the job, but here he was, warning her to stay safe.

Laura and Hinton nodded. Hinton didn't know about the night detail on her apartment, but he was well aware of the trouble Gray posed.

"Get on your way," he ordered. Limus gave Laura one last look that she couldn't read. And then it hit her. It was fatherly concern. A look that her own father had never given her, but she had seen it in other families. She had seen it in fellow aurors at the Ministry of Magic when interacting with their own parents. She had seen it in victims of dark wizards in both England and America.

Limus, the man who probably hated her more than Graves had when she first arrived in New York, was worried for her.

She smiled softly at him, wishing she could show him how grateful she was for such a little gesture. But it meant everything to her.

Few people had ever been truly concerned for her.

Hinton and Laura turned back to the office and began gathering their things. Tina had arrived and was sitting at her desk. She and Laura exchanged a silent look before Laura smiled at her friend.

Laura finished packing up quickly and joined Hinton at the front of the auror's office.

"Shall we?" he asked.

She nodded and together they walked away from the office. There was a nervousness in them both as they left the safety of MACUSA. It had been three months since either of them had gone out in the field and while June didn't represent a tough challenge, it was still a test for them. A test for each of them individually and a test for them as a team.

They had done good things together. And they had been torn apart.

But this was a chance for them to return to glory, in a manner of speaking. This was a chance for them to regain their trust in one another and for them to feel like aurors once again.

June had been seen in Albany, New York. Laura and Hinton disapparated from an alley near MACUSA and apparated to a safe house in Albany. There they disguised themselves with magic. They changed their eyes, their noses, their lips, their chins, and their hair. It was the best either could do. Laura had known an auror in England that could changed her entire body shape. She had been the best at disguises. Laura had been jealous of what she could do.

Laura had been lucky to learn a few more things over the past two years, mostly from Minali, who was also incredibly good at human transfiguration. Minali was all too happy to teach things to the other aurors and work with them. After all, the better they could be at disguising themselves, the better chance they had at living.

In Britain, Transfiguration was one of the tests in which you had to get at least five N.E.W.T.s, plus you needed an Outstanding or Exceeds Expectations in the subject as well, to be considered for the Auror Program. Laura had gotten her five N.E.W.T.s and an Outstanding. Dumbledore had helped her a lot, particularly in the last year, working one on one with her. Almost as if he had already planned to get her into the Auror Program.

She suddenly realized, as she and Hinton were settling into the small apartment across the street from where June was rumored to have been staying, that she hadn't spoken to or heard from Dumbledore since she came to America.

It was probably for the best. An owl could be easily intercepted by the wrong people. But Laura found herself longing to share her news with Dumbledore; to tell him of the friends she had made and how well she was doing. He had always believed in her, that she could be better than her family.

Maybe a tiny letter would be fine after this.

Hinton leaned against the window frame, sipping at a cup of coffee as he stared across the street. Watching him, he looked like he was modeling for some men's campaign. Despite years of hard work, Hinton was still quite an attractive man.

Laura wondered if he might ever fall in love again. Hitcher's death two years ago seemed to still affect the auror.

" _Do yourself a favor, don't fall in love with an auror,"_ he had warned her that day. His voice had been full of such an anger and sadness that Laura had never heard in another person's voice before.

Her heart had broken for the man that day.

He never mentioned Hitcher again.

"Do you sleep well?" he asked in a soft voice, almost tired.

She shrugged, even though he wasn't looking at her. "Not last night. I had a terrible nightmare."

He looked over at her, his eyebrows knit in concern. "About Gray?"

"Worse," she said. "Logan. It felt like he was there in bed with me," she admitted.

"Nobody's ever gotten out of Azkaban and Logan Crabbe sure as hell won't be the first one. You're safe from him," Hinton said in such a kind voice, pushing himself off the wall and walking over to stand in front of Laura. He dropped down, crouching in front of where she was sitting so he could look her in the eye. "I _never_ doubted you," he added.

Laura's heart immediately jumped into her throat. He had never believed Logan.

"People like Logan, Gray, all of those lot, they're manipulators. I've worked by your side. I heard what Graves said about you that day in the bookstore, how you had put him first, putting your life on the line. Not even somebody that was trying to infiltrate MACUSA would do the things you've done. I've never doubted you."

Unable to stop the tears, Laura leaned forward on her knees as the tears burst from her eyes and began falling down her cheeks. He had never doubted her. Graves had never doubted her.

Her fellow aurors trusted her.

When would she learn to trust herself?

Hinton reached forward to wrap his arms around her. "We're in this together, Laura. We're partners. I'd do anything to keep you safe," he whispered kindly.

They sat there for a moment, letting Laura cry. Once the tears had stopped, Hinton stood up and Laura sat up, wiping away the tears.

"I'm so glad we're working together again," Laura told him as he walked back to the window.

He smiled, leaning against the window frame once again, still as cool as ever. "Couldn't get a better partner than me. Not even Graves," he joked.

The partners laughed out loud at the audacity of his joke. They fell into a comfortable silence and returned to their work. Despite the little sleep she got the previous night, Laura felt oddly recharged.

She guessed that sometimes you just needed a good cry.


	48. Banish Your Illusion

**Chapter 48- Banish Your Illusion**

 _July 1925_

Her nightmares hadn't completely disappeared, but Laura hadn't had one that felt as real as the one about Logan had. And she hadn't told Graves about her nightmares. She was afraid of what he might say, or not say.

She did talk to Tina, Queenie, and Hinton about them, however. The trio had given her a lot of tips, and a lot of reassurance.

It helped, but Laura figured the best remedy for her nightmares would be for Gray to be arrested and put in Azkaban. Not having to have guards at her home every night would help. Being able to spend her nights with Graves would help.

But the end didn't seem to be any closer.

Three months after Logan Crabbe, Gregor Favila, Lorne Patterson, and Wylda Grogan were caught and arrested, Favila's trial was finally set. Patterson had pled out quickly, not able to stomach a trial like Grogan and Favila. Grogan had gone through her trial back in April and Laura had reluctantly testified as was required of her. It had gone well, however.

But Gregor Favila was a different beast.

Laura wasn't looking forward to this trial. But as the auror that had arrested him, she would have to testify about the day's events yet again.

It was one of her least favorite parts of being an auror.

In the days leading up to Favila's trial, Graves and Limus had once again sat down with all of the aurors that had gone that day and returned alive. They would each speak at the trial, recounting the day's events and the lead up, for those who had worked specifically on tracking Logan down.

Laura was really not looking forward to having to talk about Logan yet again. Graves had counseled her to keep her comments about Logan to a minimum and to only say what was absolutely necessary. He told her not to lie, but not to offer anything she didn't need to.

The morning of July 14th brought the trial to a beginning. Laura made her way to MACUSA as usual, but looking slightly better put together than she would do on a normal work day, trailed quietly by a disguised Limus. She flexed her hands nervously as she walked, gritting her teeth uncomfortably; tense beyond belief.

She had testified before. This wasn't new.

So why was she so bloody nervous?

MACUSA was in a tizzy when Laura and Limus arrived; many of the departments were anxious over the coming trial, not just Magical Law Enforcement. MACUSA still wasn't sure of just how close Favila was to Grindelwald, but the man had committed a few crimes for the older wizard, so there was that.

MACUSA was a really fascinating building. Not only did it house the various departments, but it also held the court and prison. Not to mention, it was said to be home to dozens of species, including owls and thestrals.

The prison was broken into two areas: the temporary cells where they kept the newly caught wizards and the permanent prison cells where wizards went once they were convicted by the wizard judges.

Favila had been in the temporary jail for three months now, waiting for his turn at trial. By the end of the day, he would be found guilty and moved down to his permanent cell.

Azkaban was guarded by dementors, whereas the MACUSA prison was simply guarded by a special class of aurors. They were trained the same way the wizard catchers were, but then went on to a special guard training.

Laura wondered if going that route might be a way for her and Graves to be together. In an official respect, he would still be her boss, but she wouldn't be working under him day to day.

A tough auror, Genevieve Potter, was the Head Guard. She was a third generation auror and was the first female Head Guard of the prison. At 37, she had worked at MACUSA for almost two decades now. Laura had only met Genevieve a few times, but she was always struck by how intimidating, yet focused the woman was.

Basically, she was what Laura wanted to be when she grew up.

Genevieve was a distant cousin of Oxley Potter, a fellow Hogwarts student when Laura had been there. They were the same year and had had a few classes together in their 7 years at the school. Oxley couldn't have been more different from his cousin. He was quiet, meek, and easily pushed around by his other classmates.

Almost as if it could sense her nervousness, her hand began pulsing with pain as Laura headed to Major Investigations to meet all of the other aurors involved. She flexed her hand, willing it to calm down. She didn't need this today.

Once she got down to the office, almost everyone was waiting. In the corner of the room, Picquery and Graves were deep in discussion. Laura tried not to stare as she took a seat next to Hinton.

"They've been arguing for at least ten minutes," Hinton whispered, leaning towards Laura.

"What about, you think?"

He shrugged, staring ahead at the Real Time Hex Indicator that kept an eye on when certain spells were used. "With those two, who knows. Probably the trial."

A little bit of fear dropping in her stomach. What if it was about her? What if Picquery wanted Graves to remove her protection detail? The testimonies had gone well at Grogan's trial; there was no reason to believe it wouldn't this time as well.

Unless Picquery knew something the others didn't.

Laura pulled her light sweater closer around her as her anxiety began to ramp up. She really didn't need her imagination running wild like this right before the trial began.

As the auror's sat there, waiting for their Director and President to stop arguing, Laura wondered what it was like for muggle cops. She was largely unfamiliar with the muggle justice system, particularly in the U.S. Did the cops testify at trials like this? Did they have trials here in the U.S.? Who presided over them? Did the cops feel such a weight on their shoulders?

Laura knew she had little reason to be nervous, but seeing Favila again and discussing Logan again was setting her nerves on edge.

Finally, after several minutes, Graves and Picquery broke apart. The Director joined his aurors, a blank look on his face, while Picquery stalked out of the room, heading for the lift, clearly unhappy with however the conversation went. Hinton and Laura exchanged a quick look of curiosity before turning their attention to Graves.

"Favila's trial is set to begin in just half an hour. For those you that will be called to testify, keep to the facts. You've testified before; you know what to do and say. Take the next half hour to relax yourselves and then be ready." He paused to look at each auror, making eye contact. When he got to Laura, their eyes met for the briefest moment and she wanted to yell at her body for the reaction of lust such a short second caused. His eyes moved on quickly. Today was not that kind of day. "Don't embarrass me," he finished.

Laura retreated to an empty conference room in Major Investigations so she could just breathe for a few minutes. Favila wouldn't scare her. She could do this. She had testified before the Wizengamot about her mother. If she could do that, then this would be a breeze.

Right?

After 15 minutes, Laura began to make her way up to the courtroom. It was situated in the lower floors of the MACUSA building, just above the temporary jail cells. Laura hadn't been sure what kind of crowd this trial would bring, so she was surprised to see the hallway packed with people. She struggled to push through the crowd, telling them she was an auror and needed to get through; most ignored her, her voice lost in the noise of the crowd.

After a couple minutes of that horseshit, a hand grabbed her arm from ahead. It was Limus.

"Get out of the way, you morons. Auror coming through!" he shouted angrily, clearly having lost his patience with the crowd some time ago. Laura wondered how many times he had hurled curse words at the crowd. Laura couldn't help but smile.

Finally, the crowd got with it and moved out of the way and the two Aurors were able to get into the courtroom, which was already packed.

"What is going on?" Laura whispered to Limus as they made their way to their seats in the Auror section, starting to panic.

" _The Wizard's Voice_ had it on the front page this morning that 'shocking testimony' expected," he answered. The man did almost a perfect job of appearing unphased by it, but Laura noticed the tenseness in his jaw and neck.

 _Please don't mean me,_ Laura thought in vain. She truly hoped the defense wouldn't ask about her family, especially not with so many people here. But she knew she was hoping in vain.

They both took their seats, with Laura sat between Hinton and Minali, while Limus was further down by Carneirus.

The large courtroom was not wholly unlike the courtrooms that the Wizengamot ruled over, just much larger to accommodate large crowds. In Britain, there was a whole floor of courtrooms, whereas MACUSA had this one large courtroom and just a few smaller rooms. The main courtroom would sit up to 200 people, not including the 11 judges, the MACUSA department heads, and the Aurors. The judges table lined the front of the room, the Aurors sat to their left, and the accused always stood in the middle of the room, shackled and watched by two guards with their wands at the ready, just in case. Across the room from the Aurors, to the right of the judges, in a special box were the high ranking members of MACUSA, including Graves and other heads of departments. Picquery sometimes attended trials, but often sent her Vice President, Willow Caster, a 47-year-old blind half-Japanese witch who delighted in singing the hallways of MACUSA.

At the back of the room were the 200 seats for spectators, which was usually mostly empty and generally filled by reporters. Today, it was packed and another 25 or so had been allowed to stand against the back wall.

Laura let her eyes wander over the faces, an invisible hand squeezing her stomach as nervousness returned. She wondered if this was why Graves and Piqcuery had been arguing earlier.

She gulped.

After a few minutes, a back door opened and the wizarding judges walked in. Wearing matching blue robes, the 11 judges were quick to spot. They took their seats, each of them seemingly glaring at the full room. The head judge was Warren Glendower, a stern 50-year-old wizard who had spent half his life in MACUSA's judicial system.

He cleared his throat loudly and the courtroom quieted. "I will say this only once; you will respect this court's preceding or you will be thrown out. This is not a game; people's lives are at stake."

The room stayed silent and he took their silence as an agreement to abide by the courts rules.

A murmur went through the crowd as Gregor Favila was brought into the courtroom. Slightly more disheveled then he was 3 months ago, he still looked menacing. The guards, which included Genevieve, led him to the middle of the room. He thankfully ignored the aurors, choosing to focus his creepy and menacing stare on the crowd. They recoiled from the sight.

Laura watched as his Representative stood up behind him, though many feet away. He looked young, but even from far away Laura could see the glint of knowing in his eyes. The man had something planned.

The defense spoke first. Favila's representative, Edgar Montpellier, spun a tale of a man without choice in the manner and a man who had been framed by aurors with an agenda.

Laura looked across the room to watch Graves as Montpellier spoke. But for a tensing of his jaw, Graves face did not give away the anger that must have been brewing. He really didn't like it when people spoke ill of his aurors without cause. Laura's eyes traveled to the judges, wondering what they were thinking. Most of the judges looked bored; were the unimpressed by the man's speech or legitimately bored? A couple of the judges looked angry, but Laura wasn't sure if it meant they believed him or were angry at his lies. She hoped for the latter.

He eventually ended his speech and it was time for the MACUSA representative to speak. Barnaby Jones was the second in command in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, with Graves as his boss. While Graves was in charge of keeping the peace, so to speak, Barnaby was in the charge of the legal side of things. He almost always represented MACUSA at trial. He began solemnly by reminding the court that Favila was accused of killing an auror at the raid.

Laura listened closely, trying to keep focused on Barnaby and to avoid her eyes wandering around. She didn't want to look nervous. Beside her, Hinton sat quietly, though Laura could see his right foot twitching.

Barnaby went on, speaking about Favila and what the wizard was known for. As he spoke, Laura did her best to not look at the accused. Favila had always freaked her out ever since Laura and Hinton had trailed him back in San Francisco in January 1924.

After Barnaby finished speaking, the judges ordered him to call his first witness. Minali was first up; she spoke calmly and clearly relaying the events that led up to the raid and why they hadn't expected a trap.

Auror after auror was called, with both sides and the judges getting the chance to question them, with a lunch break a few hours in until finally Hinton took the stand. He told his version of the day's events. Laura listened to him closely, silently giving him her full support.

"Did Logan Crabbe say anything?" Favila's representative questioned.

"Relevance?" Barnaby interjected, standing up from his chair.

"Indeed," Glendower said, looking to Montpellier for an explanation.

"Goes to the auror's state of mind at time, sir. Particularly when confronting my client."

"Not for this auror," Barnaby said. "He didn't ask it of any other auror. Why Auror Hinton?"

"Your esteemed colleague makes a valid point. Why Auror Hinton?" Glendower asked.

"He's partners with the auror that Mr. Crabbe was targeting that day. His state of mind is important, sir."

The judge looked to the judges beside him, most of whom shook their head. He looked back at Montpellier. "Not today Montpellier. When you represent Mr .Crabbe you can bring it up. This has no bearing on your client's trial. Ask a different question."

Montpellier looked pissed off, but he nodded in annoyed understanding and turned his attention back to Hinton. Laura shifted uncomfortably in her seat. How on earth would her questioning go? She wanted to risk a look at Graves, but dared not to.

 _Focus._

"While your partner engaged with Logan Crabbe, what did you do?"

Hinton explained how Favila came around the car and began a duel. Favila got the better of him, but was distracted by Laura before he could kill him.

Laura was grateful to hear she had, in some way, saved Hinton's life. She still wished the aurors had never been put into that situation that day.

Her partner kept his cool as he answered questions, but Laura, and she was sure the other aurors, could tell he was beginning to get rather annoyed by the questions. It seemed like he answered questions for a good hour before the judge finally ended Montpellier's questioning.

Hinton walked back to his seat, sitting next to Laura. He gave her an almost imperceptible touch of encouragement as he sat down. Laura gulped nervously as she waited for her name to be called.

"Call your next witness, Jones," Glendower ordered.

Barnaby stood up from his chair. "My witness list is exhausted, Judges. Thank you," he said, sitting back down.

Laura tried not to look too confused, but thankfully all of the aurors around her weren't as concerned with not reacting. She looked across the room to Graves, who had leaned forward in his chair and was leaning on his knees, his bored face in his hands. Laura wondered if he had known about this.

Favila's representative, Montpellier, looked confused as well. He had clearly been expecting Laura to be called.

Glendower looked like he wanted to say something to the MACUSA employee, but simply turned to Montpellier. "Your turn, Montpellier. Call your next witness, please."

Montpellier stood up from his chair, smiled, and called out, "Auror Laura Maurette, please Judges."

Laura shouldn't have been surprised, but her heart still sunk into her stomach. With a deep breath, Laura pushed herself up from her seat, left the auror area and headed for the middle of the room. Standing in front of a room of 200+ people was intimidating, but standing in front of Favila was unsettling. He stared at Laura from his spot, no smile on his face, but a curious glint in his eyes.

Like he knew what was coming.

 _Focus,_ she told herself. _Remember who you are._

She looked past Favila to stare at his representative. Edgar Montpellier was younger than Wylda Grogan's representative had been. He looked like he was probably around Laura's age, which made Laura wonder how many people he had represented before this. How did he get connected to Favila? Was there something more sinister going on?

She shook her head of the thoughts. That didn't matter right now.

"Auror Maurette, please take the court through your experience that day," Montpellier said, a smile on his face. It set her nerves on edge.

She took a deep breath and began going back through all of the events that day. She even included Picquery's typical speech of "you don't have to go" that had always confused the aurors. Laura did her best to speak in a clear, calm voice. To sound kind, but authoritative.

She hoped it was working.

Montpellier listened closely, nodding as she spoke, but said nothing until she had gotten to the point where Grogan, Favila, and Logan were all arrested.

"A trying day, would you say?"

Laura tried not to sigh out loud. "It was more difficult than some of our raids and easier than others."

Montpellier nodded for the hundredth time. "You expected to come across Logan Crabbe, yes? So when you found others there, did that throw you off?"

She wondered where he was going with this. "We were expecting anything. Crabbe is known for outlandish techniques to attack aurors and to keep from being caught. It's rare to come across Crabbe on his own. He almost always has someone else with him."

"This was not the first time you've dueled Mr. Favila, correct?"

"Correct. My partner Hinton and I were sent to San Francisco to watch Favila."

"But he made you," Montpellier said.

Laura nodded. "Correct. We arrested the men with him, but Favila was able to get away."

Montpellier went quiet for a moment, seemingly pondering his next course of action.

"If you don't have a question, let her go," Glendower ordered, his voice showing his annoyance with the man.

"Oh, I have more questions." Montpellier grasped his hands in front of him and looked pensive as he loaded up his next question. "Do you believe that Mr. Crabbe calling you out with your real name upset you?"

Laura gritted her teeth. "Excuse me?"

"Laura Maurette is not your real name, correct?"

"It is, actually." It wasn't a lie. After Laura was accepted into the auror program, Dumbledore convinced the Ministry to let her legally change her name. She was Laura Maurette now, but she hadn't always been.

A momentary look of annoyance crossed Montpellier's face, but he quickly replaced it with a smile. "You weren't always Laura Maurette, though, correct?"

" _That_ is true, Mr. Montpellier."

"So when Mr. Crabbe called you Ellen, your name from birth, did that upset you?"

Laura breathed heavily through her nose, trying to keep her cool. "It didn't upset me, no."

"How did it make you feel?"

"Relevance, again, Judges," Barnaby finally shouted, standing up from his chair.

"Again, Judges, Auror Maurette's history with Mr. Crabbe negatively affected her interaction with my client," Montpellier argued.

 _No, it didn't,_ Laura wanted to say, but she kept her mouth shut.

"It does not," Barnaby argued. "There has been nothing from any of the testimony, or even from Mr. Favila's own words, to suggest that Auror Maurette acted differently from any other auror that day. My esteemed colleague is simply trying to argue for a different client. Mr. Crabbe is not on trial, and neither is Auror Maurette, I might add."

"But I would disagree, Judges. I would argue, based on the testimony that even Auror Maurette has given, that her duel with Logan Crabbe led her to being overly aggressive with my client."

The room went quiet and Laura fought the urge to turn and see what the judges were doing. Barnaby and Montpellier were both looking at the judges behind Laura with baited breath.

"Montpellier, I am warning you. I will allow this questioning to continue, but do remember you represent Mr. Favila and not Mr. Crabbe, so move on quickly," Glendower ordered.

His ruling felt like a punch in her gut. What would Montpellier ask her? Asking her about her name was horrible enough. What would come next?

Montpellier nodded slightly and returned his attention to Laura. She could see a glint in his eyes, like he had when the day had begun. She tried not to get too nervous. She had faced worse than his, hadn't she? She had put her life on the line for Graves; had been attacked by her father with an unknown spell.

A little questioning about her past would be fine, right?

"Again, Auror Maurette, how did it make you feel when Logan Crabbe called you by your birth name, Ellen?" Montpellier questioned again.

"Annoyed, at first," she answered truthfully. "Worried that the other aurors would no longer trust me."

"So you went after Mr. Crabbe, angry."

"In a sense. I have been attacked by Crabbe on several occasions, so I was most interested in making sure he would never hurt anyone else ever again. But I was calm. As an auror, you cannot go into a duel angry. It doesn't benefit anyone and you'll be more likely to make a mistake."

"So you're saying that even though you have a personal connection to Mr. Crabbe, and despite the fact he used your birth name, a name you have hidden from your colleagues, you went into your duel calmly?" Montpellier sounded absolutely gob smacked by her insinuation.

Laura tried not to smile. "Yes, that's what I'm saying. This wasn't my first duel and it wasn't the first time I've dueled someone I knew. I've been an auror for eight years now."

Montpellier grimaced, clearly hoping for a different reaction from Laura. "So you dueled Mr. Crabbe, and then Wylda Grogan, and then Mr. Favila. And by the time you dueled Mr. Favila, how were you feeling?"

"I told you earlier, Mr. Montpellier, Favila caught me off guard and so I lost my wand. He goaded me and I responded by using wandless magic. It was tiring and painful, but I kept a clear head and in the end, I won the duel. I wasn't angry because of Crabbe or Grogan. I _was_ tired, however. Three duels, especially one that was wandless, are incredibly tiring. But again, I wasn't angry. I didn't treat Favila any differently than I would have on any other day." She could feel she was beginning to lose her cool and so she stopped talking, taking another deep breath and letting it out slowly.

Montpellier didn't look any happier than he had earlier. Someone had likely convinced him that bringing up Logan Crabbe would set Laura off. But he was wrong. Maybe, back in January or February, before she had arrested Logan and taken him to Azkaban, maybe then she would have been angry and emotional.

But much had happened since then and even with her occasional nightmare, Laura had mostly come to terms with her past with Logan. She wasn't as angry anymore, but mostly just sad. She wished her life had been different; that she had been given a different start in life.

"Are you done now, Montpellier?" Glendower asked, almost angrily and slightly annoyed.

Montpellier's cheeks seemed to quiver as he contemplated his next question. And then, his shoulders slumped. "I have exhausted my questions, Judges. Thank you," he said, full bitterness in his voice.

"Please return to your seat, Auror Maurette," Glendower said from behind her. "And thank you very much," he added.

Laura thankfully left the center area and returned to her seat, head high, but still avoiding the stares of everyone around her. She wanted to leave immediately and collapse into her bed. Or maybe take a hot bath first.

As she sat down, Hinton tried to give her a subtle, comforting look. Laura smiled gratefully back at him. She wanted to chance a look over at Graves, but figured even if she did, he'd be giving nothing away. She'd talk to him later.

"We have listened to multiple hours of testimony from the aurors that were there the day that Gregor Favila was arrested. We have read Favila's own testimony. There doesn't seem to be much else left to say. Let us vote."

The room stayed remarkably quiet as judge by judge passed their judgment out loud, each one voting him guilty of the crimes. At the end, Glendower stared at Favila, an unmistakable look of judging on his aged face. "There is no doubt to us that you are guilty of what you have been charged with, Gregor Favila. And there is no doubt that you will not change in prison. I have no choice but to sentence you to life in prison. Good luck."

Laura let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She didn't think there was much chance of Favila being found innocent, but sentencing was always hit or miss for her. Some of the wizards they caught were often released after just a few years. It comforted her to know that Favila would spend his life in MACUSA's prison.

The aurors waited as the judges and the crowd left the courtroom. Almost twenty minutes passed before the room was empty, except for the aurors and Graves. He stayed still in his seat. Once the room was clear, he finally lifted his head to look at his aurors from across the room.

"Let today be a lesson." He stood up from his seat. He spoke in a clear voice that seemed to just resonate on its own across the room, though he didn't yell. "There are many out there that would seek to divide us, whether in spreading rumors or by infiltrating our ranks. It is clear to me that we were set up that day."

Laura's hair stood up on her arms. It had been many an aurors belief that day that someone had set them up, but hearing Graves confirm it made it much more real. This was different than before.

Someone, maybe an auror, maybe someone in a different department, was trying to get aurors killed.

"I am proud of how you all handled yourself today under questioning." He smirked. "But you're still expected to return to work. Let's go."

Laura filed out of the courtroom with the other aurors, silently making their way to the office where they had to get their head back in the game. She wondered if they were thinking what she was thinking.

There weren't any aurors off the top of her head that she didn't trust. But outside of this office…the list was endless. She simply didn't know anyone well enough to trust them.

Laura and Hinton returned to their work of studying June Peters Hardgrove. The woman had been fairly busy over the past few weeks, meeting with various dark wizards, and some had fairly high connections to Grindelwald himself. But it wasn't a crime to know those people. They needed something more before they could go after her.

A few hours later, Laura, and most of the other aurors had reached their limits. She packed up, with Minali on schedule to trail her tonight. Tina, Hinton, and Laura left the office together in silence, still retrospective after a long day of testifying. Laura wanted to say something to Tina about asking Queenie if she had "heard" anything about a traitor in the office, but she knew better than to say something around Hinton. Laura may trust Hinton, but Queenie's secret was not Laura's to tell.

At home, Laura did just as she had planned, she stripped down and settled into a probably slightly too hot bath to relax with a glass of red wine sitting on the table next to the tub. She closed her eyes, letting the steam seep into her pores and relax her tense muscles.

 _That_ was over, whatever that really was. Maybe the war wasn't over, but at least one battle was.

The sound of a door opening jarred Laura from her rest. She sat up in the tub quickly, water spilling over the edge of the tub. She had learned from previous mistakes and her wand was on the table next to the tub. Her hand moved quickly, grabbing it tightly.

"It's just me," Graves' familiar voice called out from her living room, sensing her fear of intrusion.

Laura let out a loud sigh and let go of her wand. She took a deep swig of her wine before she settled back in her tub. "I'm in the bath," she called out.

She took several deep breaths, letting each one out and willing her tenseness and negative energy to go with each breath. Today had been too long.

She watched as Graves walked up, pausing in the doorway. "You did well today," he said, a small smile on his gorgeous face. He was still wearing every piece of his typical suit.

Too many clothes.

"Barely."

"You held it together, that's the best we can ask for given the topic. He should have never been permitted to ask such things."

Laura sighed again. "No offense, boss, but I don't want to talk about it right now."

He nodded in understanding and immediately began taking off his suit. Laura watched him undress for a moment, a silly smile spreading across her face, before she closed her eyes. After a few minutes, she felt a presence over her and then soft lips touched her own.

"You're breaking your own rules," she whispered when he pulled away. Laura opened her eyes and found Graves leaning over her, gripping the sides of the tub.

He made a face as he lifted a leg over the side of the tub and placed it carefully on one side of her and then lifted his other leg and put it in the tub. He moved his hands to behind her head, still gripping the tub.

"Rules are made to be broken," he said before dropping his head and kissing her feverishly. He pulled back once more. "Besides, I'm the boss. I can do what I like. So long as you like it too."

Laura giggled. "I definitely like this."


	49. Cry for the Moon

**Author's Note: Sorry! I couldn't get to load for the longest time, so this chapter has been up on AO3 for about a week or so. Chapter 50 is almost ready!**

 **Chapter 49- Cry for the Moon**

 _November 1925_

Summer turned to fall and the idea of a mole somewhere in MACUSA took a back burner to the priority of the many cases that were landing on the laps of the aurors. By November, Laura and Hinton were knee deep in tracking June Peters Hardgrove's footsteps. In the past month, June had travelled across the U.S. to meet with several different wizards, including whispers of her meeting with Gray somewhere in the Midwest.

Laura had done her best not to think of Gray over the past few months. The pain in her hand had all but disappeared, although she still didn't have full use of her hand. Graves, Minali, and Limus had been watching her flat for so long that she had gotten used to it and no longer checked for them at night. Life had gone on.

Until June met with Gray.

There was little proof it had actually occurred, but the whispers were enough for the nightmares to return. Logan had left her nightmares and instead Laura often dreamed of Gray breaking into her new flat and strangling her in her bed.

Sleep was hard to come by. Laura was too afraid to sleep; too afraid that Gray would strangle her every night.

She said nothing to anyone, but Tina and Hinton could tell something was wrong and that she wasn't getting enough sleep.

Although, it wasn't hard to tell she wasn't getting enough sleep, especially when she leaned on her hand on her desk and drifting off to sleep, only to jerk awake, unintentionally pushing papers off of her desk. Several heads turned to look at her in annoyance. Laura frowned and began to pick the papers up.

"Are you okay?" Tina asked as she knelt down to help Laura.

"Fine," she said.

Tina tsked. "You're not fine," she whispered, almost angrily. She handed Laura her papers. "You've been falling asleep at work a lot more these past couple of weeks. You're not sleeping."

Laura pursed her lips as she fought herself from snapping at Tina. She chose to just shrug and work on putting her papers back into order.

"Laura, _what's wrong_?" Tina pushed.

Sighing, Laura stopped moving. She looked over at Tina. She had told Tina about her nightmare months ago. Would it hurt to tell her about her new ones? "It's just more nightmares," Laura admitted.

If possible, the concern in Tina's face deepened. Her eyebrows seemed to fuse together. She pulled her chair over so she could sit closer to Laura.

"Have you spoken to Graves?" Tina asked.

Laura guffawed, a little too loudly. Peter Hawkins, who sat in front of Tina, turned around and glared at the two women. Laura waved him off. "Why would I tell him about my nightmares?" Laura asked, knowing Tina didn't know about her illicit activities with their boss.

"Maybe he has some advice? I don't know, Laura, but I do know you can't keep falling asleep at work. The case on June might work out and then you'll have to go into the field, but you can't go out like this," she whispered. "You know that."

Laura sighed. "I know, but I'm not sure what anyone can do to help. I've tried potions. I've tried keeping the light on and the radio, but nothing helps, Teen. I just keep seeing Gray."

Tina took Laura's hands in her own. "At least talk to Minali. She might be a little more understanding than Graves or certainly Limus, but they need to know you're struggling. They won't judge you for it, I'm sure."

 _Sweet Tina,_ Laura thought, _believing the best of others._ But Laura knew the men, and perhaps even Minali, would judge her for her nightmares. How could she tell them?

Laura smiled softly. "I promise I'll talk to Minali," she said. And maybe she would, but Laura wasn't even sure how to bring it up.

Tina stared at Laura for a moment, almost as if she was trying to read her mind like Queenie, then accepted her answer. She gave Laura's hand a squeeze and then pulled her chair back to her own desk to return to her work.

How could Laura say anything? She knew she could put people in danger by going into the field, but here in the office, what danger was it to sleep at her desk?

How could she have this conversation with Graves? He had been very understanding up until this point, but would he be understanding about this? What would he say about her nightmares?

Laura yawned as she picked her file up on June and tried to concentrate on her work, but scarcely had a few minutes passed before her eyes began to close and her head began to fall.

"Maurette!" Limus shouted from the front of the room.

June's file dropped from her hands onto her desk as she jerked and pushed back from her desk, scrambling to her feet. She was wide awake now, looking up at Limus standing at the front of room. He didn't look happy and cast quite an imposing figure.

"Sir?"

Limus glared at her as if she had kicked his puppy. "Directors office, now," he ordered.

Laura's face burned red as she walked around her desk and headed for the front of the room. She could feel the eyes of the most of her colleagues on her. How many of them had noticed her sleeping at work over the weeks?

 _Who_ had told Graves?

Probably Limus, Laura figured. It seemed like something he would do.

She followed Limus down the tiled hallway, their footsteps echoing loudly in the quiet. Limus didn't stop to knock on the door, he simply pushed the door open and held it for Laura as she timidly entered.

Minali and Carneirus were already there, standing in front of Graves desk. Minali looked bored, but Carneirus wasn't meeting Laura's eyes. What did he have to feel guilty about? Was he the one that told Graves? His desk _was_ in the Aurors office, whereas Limus had his own office. So Carneirus certainly could have seen her sleeping at any point.

Laura cleared her throat after Limus shut the door behind them. "What's going on?" she asked.

Graves was sitting casually in his chair, his jacket open showing his usual waistcoat, like the woman he was sleeping with, nay courting, hadn't just been betrayed by his most trusted employees. She almost wanted to smack him, though he didn't deserve it, but his attitude was annoying.

"It's been brought to my attention that you've been falling asleep at your desk. Is this true?" Graves asked, a touch of boredom lacing his voice.

Laura shifted her jaw slightly as she thought. She wished she had more time to think about how she was going to talk to Graves about this. She also wished she didn't have to do it in the room with Limus, Carneirus, and Minali. _Why oh why did they have to be here?_

"I suppose," she finally said.

The smallest smile formed on Graves' face before it dropped away quickly. He leaned on his desk, his hands clasped together in front of him. "Laura, I don't think I have to mention how unacceptable it is to sleep at work."

"No, Director, you don't."

A heavy silence filled the room. Minali looked between Laura and Graves, beginning to find the situation interesting. People rarely talked back to Graves.

Laura silently chastised herself. She did have a reputation for being someone who would talk back to their boss, but she also had to be careful. Graves would have to respond and he would have to be seen punishing her. It was stupid for her to antagonize him in front of other people.

"Laura, I'm going to be kind and simply ask why you are sleeping at work," Graves said, choosing a kinder approach. After all, Laura told herself, everyone in the room was very aware of what she was going through.

"It's nothing," she said through tight lips.

"Laura," Minali warned, not buying it.

Laura grimaced. "I've just not been sleeping well."

"Obviously," Limus snapped. "Why?"

"Why do you care?" Laura snapped at him, glaring back. While Limus was generally understanding about the situation with Gray, he was still a huge asshole to Laura. They had their moments where they could work together and be nice to one another, but they were still largely at odds.

Limus snarled, his lip curling as he took a step towards her subordinate. "That's a good question, isn't it? Why should I care about _you_?"

"Enough!" Graves said in a deep voice without yelling. He pushed up from his desk and pointed at Limus. "You take a walk and make sure the aurors are working. And try not to cause another scene," he ordered.

Limus growled slightly, but nodded and quickly left the room, giving Laura the evil eye once more as he left.

"As for you," Graves said, rounding his attention to Laura after the door had shut behind Limus, "you do not speak to your superiors that way. Understood?"

Laura gritted her teeth, her lips thinning out in her anger. "Understood, sir."

"Good, now why the fuck aren't you sleeping at night?" he pushed. The anger of the moment before had left his voice and had been replaced with the concern of a boss. But Laura did know better. She knew Graves was concerned about her as more than her boss.

"Nightmares," she finally admitted. "I just can't sleep without seeing Gray's face."

Graves sighed and sat back in his chair. "Why didn't you say something?" he asked, exasperated.

Rolling her eyes, Laura sighed. "Merlin, I wonder why."

"What does that mean?" Carneirus asked, hurt.

Laura opened her mouth to respond, to tell him that many of the women in the aurors office didn't feel as if they could show weakness in front of the men. Laura and Tina had talked about it often, particularly since Laura had been given her nightly guards. Instead, Laura kept her mouth shut. She didn't want to be seen complaining.

"Leave her be," Minali said, stepping in. She gave Laura a quick look that said she understood, on some level. Laura smiled at her gratefully.

"You can't be here if you're exhausted, Laura," Graves said, changing the conversation. "Minali, take her home and make sure she gets some sleep."

"Sir!" Laura protested. "It's the middle of the day!" She took a step toward his desk, but Graves held up a hand.

"You are dead on your feet, Laura. Every report we've seen on June Hardgrove suggests we may need to move on her soon. If so, I need you to be rested and ready. So go home and sleep. Or you'll be pulled off the case. Minali will be there to watch your place." Graves stood up from his desk. "You have nothing to fear."

She wanted to scoff at him; to roll her eyes, but he'd never understand. Even in his arms, Laura would not be safe until Gray was dead. Instead, Laura shrugged and accepted her fate. Laura knew there would be no arguing. She had been deemed a work hazard. The only thing that would redeem her now was a great night's sleep or two.

"I'll get my things," she said dejectedly as she headed for the door.

"I'll relieve you at supper," she heard Graves say as she opened the door.

"Well, if any of us will be able to make her feel safe, Director, it's you," came Minali's reply as the door began to close behind her.

Laura had found that she did sleep better when Graves was there - rather, when he was in her bed. Perhaps it was the close comfort that drove Gray away. With someone like Graves by her side, why would she be afraid of anything? Although it was comforting to have people like Minali and Limus outside of her flat, they sometimes felt so far away.

But Graves was hardly in her bed. He took his own orders seriously.

Her coworkers didn't seem to care a thing about manners, as they all openly stared at Laura while she walked down the aisle and gathered her things from her desk. Tina gave Laura a sympathetic smile, which Laura tried to return.

A few minutes later, Laura met Minali at the front of the room, trying desperately to not scowl or acknowledge her coworkers. The two women left quietly. Minali said nothing during the walk out of MACUSA and to Laura's flat, which Laura was grateful for. She didn't want the woman's pity.

Once at the flat, however, Minali sat Laura on the couch.

"I can't pretend to know what you're going through, Laura. I've certainly not had to deal with the fact of my father wanting to try to murder me hanging over my head," Laura scoffed, "but I do promise that we will do whatever we can to protect you and to capture Gray."

Laura simply nodded. She didn't want to go on a diatribe about how unsafe Laura was, even if she was surrounded by 30 aurors. Gray was dangerous, particularly with his set of unknown spells. There was nothing any of them could do to save Laura if Gray was to catch them unawares.

None of them were safe.

"I'll stay inside for a couple of hours and then head out to the keep watch from the street. The Director will relieve me after he leaves the office," Minali informed her.

Laura nodded again and pushed up from the couch, her wand in her hand.

"He's putting a lot on the line to do this for you," Minali said.

"He wouldn't for you?" Laura questioned as she walked back to her bedroom.

"I'm not so sure anymore. Against someone like Gray? Maybe. But none of us know anyone like Gray."

Laura paused in the doorway of her bedroom. She was acutely aware of how it might seem to others that Graves has been willing to spend his nights watching her flat and asking his most trusted aurors to give up their nights as well. How much sleep they must all be losing over her.

But Minali wasn't wrong. A night guard would be unnecessary for someone like Logan. Although skilled, wards would be all that was necessary to keep him out. But for someone like Gray, with dozens of dangerous spells, most of which were unknown, guards were more than needed.

She needed an army. As the thought crossed her mind, Laura gripped her wand tightly. She wouldn't make the same mistake as the last time, getting caught without her wand.

"Consider yourself lucky," Laura whispered before walking into her bedroom and shutting her door. Without so much as even kicking off her shoes, Laura climbed into bed face first. She laid there, her face in the pillow, and tried to erase the picture of Gray from her head.

But he persisted for a while, stalking her waking dreams like an ever present nightmare.

All she wanted was peace.

Eventually, with her wand gripped as tightly as she could muster in her hand, Laura managed to push Gray from her mind and fall asleep. She forced Percival Graves into her mind and drifted off with the image of his beautiful body at the forefront of her dreams.

She wasn't sure how long she slept for, but enough time passed that sweat began to form on Laura's face. Her bangs stuck to her forehead as she suddenly sat up in bed. A chill crept up her spine, but as her wide eyes looked around the room, nothing seemed out of place.

Laura's chest heaved with her heavy breaths; every sense on high alert, but nothing. She only heard the typical sounds of day in New York City.

Something had stirred her awake, but what?

Laura swung her legs over the side of the bed, intent on heading to the bathroom to clean her face the muggle way, but time wasn't moving normally. Panic struck her as she realized her body was not moving at the same speed as her mind. Even though her brain was processing her decision to get out of bed at a normal pace, her whole body was seconds behind.

Her brain went into overdrive as she tried to think. Was something wrong with her? Was she really moving in slow motion or was this all in her head?

This was one of Gray's spells, Laura suddenly realized with a horrible feeling in her gut. She was sure of it.

Laura closed her eyes as she finally was sitting upright on the side of her bed, her feet hitting the hardwood floor. She knew the counter spell, she just had to remember it. Gray had taught he this spell when she was 14 after she had seen her first death; after poor Alabastor Jerin had been murdered the summer of her fourth year. The spell would naturally wear off in ten minutes, but Laura knew she didn't have to ten minutes to waste. She had already been sitting here for too long.

She thought back to that terrible summer, to a younger, and in a manner kinder, Gray teaching her the spell. It needed only two words.

 _Tunc sileo._

 _Restart time._

With a jolt, her body and time were hers again. Laura wasted no time. She waved her wand at her bedroom window where a light was waiting. It was Minali's idea to have a light that could be lit in warning to the outside Auror if needed. It began to glow blue, hopefully warning Minali, if she wasn't already dead, that Gray was here.

And then, she left her bedroom in search of her father.


End file.
